A Step Forward
by bookwormcooking
Summary: A story of Heralds Alberich and Myste.
1. Chapter 1

Herald Alberich opened his eyes to that warm light that basked his room despite the still dim rays of the sun just beginning to break dawn. The scant light was filtered through the stained glass that was no doubt the centerpiece of the otherwise utilitarian room. The sun emblazoned in warm gold colors contrasting sharply with the cooler jewel tones of Valdemaran blue and white glowed with the merest hint of light on the horizon, and Alberich enjoyed the few moments between sleeping and waking to enjoy the peace this vision offered.

Running his hands through tousled hair he rose abruptly noting the bite in the air that would correspond to what seemed to be the start of a gray day. He paused for a moment to consider the pot bellied brazier in the corner of his room, only to dismiss it in favor of donning extra woolens beneath his usual gray leathers. Normally the brazier would have been out of place, and until a month ago had not occupied the corner. He had noticed but not commented on it when it had arrived and had warm memories of when he was not the only one to wake up dappled with jewel-like shades in this room.

Pouring out a pitcher of water into the basin by his bed he completed his morning ablutions with haste, remembering, with something approaching wistfulness, when the water bucket had been placed close enough to that very brazier to make the task less of a shock to his sleep warmed skin.

::I see you are growing soft with all these worldly comforts about you.:: Suggested a voice in his mind.

:: Hmph:: was the herald less that articulate reply as he dried off.

:: Though:: continued the Companion thoughtfully ::I don't see why you don't combine living quarters::

:: First, your opinion I do not ask:: Alberich retorted somewhat sharply.

::You know Myste must near the archives be. Her place there be and mine here is.::

:: Well pardon me:: replied the Companion, not at all chastised. :: You seem a great deal more, how shall I say, tractable, when Herald Myste is nearby::

::Yes. For my tractable qualities you must have chosen one such as I:: scorned Alberich with a mind voice dripping with sarcasm.

Wisely the Companion just sent a sense of faint indignation along their link.

In his mind's eye, he could see her curled up in the one chair the room held, pouring over a document, the spectacles she wore glowing with reflected lantern light and her feet tucked onto the broad ledge of the very brazier. Yes, on occasion Myste did make herself very comfortable here, in what would otherwise be a spare and very male room. Not that she intruded or cluttered the room with her possessions. As a matter of fact, despite what he had seen of her own quarters, she was scrupulous about never leaving anything behind.

They were certainly a study in contrasts, if their quarters were any reflection of their personalities. Myste lived her life surrounded by organized chaos, or what he supposed was organized, as she could usually find what she was looking for. Scrolls of parchment and bound texts created, at best precarious piles of potential avalanche material, and interesting topography in her vicinity and spare pen nibs and inkwells were the hidden pitfalls among these piles of the unwary or bumbling person tried to approach her.

He, on the other hand, lived in a space defined by it's very spartan order as military, utilitarian, or as Myste once commented "quintessentially masculine". A youth spent at the Academy after having been a poor youngling hadn't left him much in the way of material possessions to cherish, nor had the very mobile life of a Sun's Guard Captain. He hung onto very little that he didn't immediately need and he regarded things much like he regarded weapons; looking for quality when they were necessary and keeping them well maintained as long as they were useful, but always prepared to discard them if the need arose for such expediency. His quarters reflected that trait and despite the years he had spent in his rooms at the salle within the Collegium, his decor, save for the one extravagance of the stained glass window in his room, remained as Dethor had left it.

:: The differences in your personalities is hardly shocking compared to the fact that you are Collegium weaponsmaster and Herald Myste is well...who she is. A study in contrasts, the warrior and the scholar.:: ended the somewhat rueful sounding mind-voice of Kantor again interrupting his thoughts.

:: My personal life so interesting you find so interesting this particular morning?:: he thought back. But he had to admit it was true. When he had been contemplating whether it wouldn't be faster to wring her neck himself rather than send her out to any kind of combat the way she was, he had hardly imagined that he would be pursing a relationship with her.

::Other abilities she has. Valuable to the circle they make her.::

:: Oh no doubt. Her abilities are not in question. I was merely thinking it was in a way fortunate that you two make such an unlikely pair. Fewer people speculate the connection between you two. I doubt even many of the heralds know about it.

::Should be as it is::Alberich said, feeling that the fewer heralds and trainees knew about his relationship with Myste the better to discourage interest in his personal life by those he trained.

::Wait. That she and I live together were not you suggesting? Why so sudden change of heart: he added suspiciously, wondering if his usually stolid companion was participating in the annoying, but sometimes useful habit of Companions to gossip among themselves .

This time the sense of indignation was greater from Kantor as he picked up the thought and accompanied by the exclamation.

::When have you known me to gossip!::

::When need has been for it::Alberich admitted calmly.

::I would never 'gossip' as you so crassly put it. It just seemed to me that you have been thinking of Herald Myste more than usual lately.::

Alberich was surprised at his Companion's words and wondered if he had been mooning. He had seldom had lady friends in his past, and those that he did have, though much appreciated had mostly been the result of monetary transactions. Though he had had chances to partake of the willing starry eyed at the various border villages he had patrolled as a suns Guard, he had somehow always balked at this rather common practice among his peers. Rather, he would pay honest coin for a hour or so of pleasure. The current situation with Myste was hardly anything that had been in his experience before. So was he, therefore, mooning like a knobby kneed calf; enough to make his Companion comment on his changed behavior?

Before he could say anything, Kantor who had been, if not eavesdropping than following the train of his thoughts broke through.

:: Chosen, you are not acting any differently as other people could see. But I am your Companion, I am suppose to see the things that others do not. I could hardly imagine you shirking your duties or "mooning" as you so succinctly put it. I was merely thinking that you might be considering taking Myste for a more permanent mate.

::Marriage?:: Alberich stood both mentally and physically dumbfounded for a moment that he paused in the act of buckling his belt and looked toward the stained glass which was the direction of Companion's Field.

:: It does happen among those in the Circle you know:: Kantor said rather matter of factly.

Yes, occasionally Heralds married, but it was more infrequent than many imagined considering how hedonistic they were considered by the rest of the court. Becoming a herald was by no means the equivalent of taking monastic oaths, and marriages, not to mention dalliances and other partnerships, did happen among those in the Circle. However, when duty came first, and there was the extraneous bond with the Companions factored in, marriage was something both parties had to be very committed to.

Besides Alberich had never had the occasion to imagine himself married. His own beginnings as the illegitimate child of a serving woman, followed by the rough training a the SunsGuard Academy had given him very little experience or expectation of a family of his own either in theory or in practice.

Whatever had brought it about, Kantor had planted a somewhat disconcerting seed in his mind, and had maddeningly gone silent. As Alberich exited his rooms to make sure the salle was in order for his first class of the day his innermost thoughts were unsettled.


	2. Chapter 2

In a rather deserted section of the old palace, down the corridor and up a flight of stairs, through the only door at the landing and past shelves of scrolls and texts, at a small desk, a large pile of paper fell and rose rhythmically to the sound of deep breathing..

::Chosen:: Came the sudden mind voice. Not too loud but still firm.

::If you continue to sleep like that your back will suffer the consequences. ::

:Mmph: came the groggy mental sigh as Herald Myste opened one eye and snapped it shut against the sunlight streaming through the windows.

::Thin, not to mention fragile, paper hardly seems to be the right kind of covering for spending the night hunched over a desk in the archives. You still do have a bedroom downstairs:: came the disapproving tones of Aleirian, Myste's Companion.

"Don't nag" she groaned out load to the empty chilly room. " I was having an excellent dream until you woke me to my sore back and stiff muscles."

Herald Myste picked her head up from arms that had gone slighty numb from supporting it and took a cold sip from the dregs of the teacup by her elbow.

Her brown hair was ruffled and somewhat pulled back in a haphazard manner with a errant nib holder stuck through it holding it in place. The curls around her face and neck escaping every which way.

Switching over to mindvoice she retorted

::You know very well I was here for a reason. Don't make it sound as if I enjoy spending cold nights "hunched" as you say over this desk. ::

I really must requisition a new chair if this keeps happening. She muttered to herself pulling the nib holder from her tangled locks and shaking out her hair, while arching her back like a cat to stretch the muscles.

::If the lords and ladies of the council didn't each think it was the purview of the heralds to keep all manner of petty squabbles to a minimum on their tracks of land rather than assigning more to the border, than I wouldn't be up all night looking up the old laws and writing up the reports as to the division of heralds duties within the kingdom and writing up reports all night. The queen needs this before the council meeting today and I am sure it will quiet a great many wagging tongues to find that they are lucky to have even the heralds on circuit to ride through their provinces considering how the ranks of heralds had been decimated during the Tedrel Wars and nothing would or should compel the Queen to send out half taught Trainees into the field, short of a national disaster. Oh, but she felt that she would soon snap trying to find rebuttals to these inane councilors who had grown complacent, and therefore more vocal with their demands of the Queens and her heralds.

::Hmm I have been trying to find you help, beloved. You are spending entirely too much time in the archives. I will speak to Rolan about this.::

::Oh, I love you for considering it Aleirian:: She sighed. ::But you know as well as I the chances of finding another herald that can be spared right now to do mere 'bookwork'::

As much as she loved her job and felt suited for it. It was a rare thing when she wasn't reminded that while she had been in her element as a clerk in her previous non-heraldic life, here among the heralds she was to say the least "unique". Not in a totally positive light as some saw it. At best most of the circle has a vague idea that what I do is contributing, and the rest figure it is better than me traipsing about mucking things up more than helping. :: She couldn't help but add, half laughingly but with a core of bitterness.

::Chosen:: said Aleirian softly in her mind. You know what you do is indispensable to the crown as well as to the heralds. If a few are too shortsighted to see the ramifications of not having proper records, and too full of their own physical exploits to notice that you are as overworked as they, it is hardly your concern.::

::If it were only so simple:: She thought back ruefully.

::Because even on my worst days, the text that I am reading will never rear up and attack me. My life in short, partner, will never be in immediate danger.::

:::Perhaps:: retorted Aleirian, with the promptness that suggested that this was not the first time they had had this discussion. ::However, neither will many of them find, nor begin to know how to decipher that which Selenay and the council needs to make decisions that affect where they are sent and how they are to carry out their duties for the Crown.::

Still somewhat sleep fogged and feeling achy she said aloud again.

"Oh bother this all. I can't even remember when I've had a decent meal, much less decent bath" she grimaced, removing her wire spectacles from her tired eyes.

"All I want is a bath, some food, and a bed"

::I'm sure you wouldn't be adverse to some company to keep you warm:: teased Aleirian gently.

::That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world:: she mindspoke archly. Not a shrinking violet, she admitted that she missed a certain craggy faced armsmaster recently.

Though how on earth the two of them had gotten to be together was something she had wondered over in her brief moments of idle thought. When she had begun learning Karsite as a clerk, it was as a hobby as well as addition to her marketable skills. When she had been chosen, she continued with the lessons as a necessity to transcribe and translate the documents that came into the hands of guard and heralds alike. When she spoke it to Gari, the priest who had coached her it flowed easily enough, but she had shielded her words as well as her thoughts, despite what a friend he had come to be. However, with Alberich it had been...well the only word for it was comfortable.

She would not get maudlin and say it was like "coming home", as was what one half a life bonded pair had described it as among her readings. She was too sensible to think it was anything like that between them. Furthermore, after what she had read about life-bondings in some of the Chronicles, she wasn't sure it was all it was cracked up to be. However, it was nice to talk, and other things, with someone who appreciated you, occasionally drove you up the wall so you could return the favor. Besides, Alberich was so totally unexpected that he had caught her off guard as much as she had apparently done to him.

A great granite pillar of a man who looked as though butter wouldn't melt in his mouth and fought like a demon out of hell, blushing like a schoolboy when he came to to find me by his bedside after the final battle of the Tedral Wars. Stumbling over his words when left alone with me in his quarters without the helpful chaperoning of the Dean or the Queen's own. If I hadn't had those cues I would have hardly even considered that he thought of me that way.

::Well Kantor's not so subtle suggestion was not amiss:: added Aleirian

::That it wasn't:: she smiled at the thought of the notoriously warrior-like stallion Kantor unbending to give relationship advice to her via her companion. No it was not that they were life-bonded, and not even that they shared their respectively strong mind-speaking gifts all the time. Life-bonded could not bear to disagree, or argue. However, she had to admit that she rather enjoyed irking the stern armsmaster, who was otherwise very imperturbable. She enjoyed their spirited discussions and had begun to appreciate him early on in their acquaintance because he was that all too rare male that could admit when he was wrong. What had made it so delicious was that she had hardly taken him as such. Most of the soldiers she had come across in her limited experience had regarded women of her type as too 'brainy' and plain to be bothered with, and unless she could do them a service, anything she said regarding common sense was dismissed as nagging.

She massaged her scalp gingerly wincing as the tension made itself know from the exterior as well as the interior of her head.

"Well the page has no doubt delivered my report to Her Majesty this morning to review in time for the council meeting, so I'm off to the baths before someone finds me and sets me to another unending task."

While stopping for a moment in her rooms to collect some clean clothing she noticed that the brazier she had set in a corner furthest from the fireplace was missing, leaving a void between her bookshelf and a cozy chair she had requisitioned from the palace. Since it had been one of the few things she had insisted be brought from her old rooms in haven she was startled for a moment, before she remembered how she had had it moved to Alberich's quarters on a particularly cold night more than a fortnight ago.

Dashing to get from her rather out of the way rooms in the old palace to the newer bathing rooms, before the trainees who had had riding practice crowded in, she didn't spare it another thought until she was soaking neck deep in one of the heavy bathing cauldrons.

::I wonder why Alberich hasn't said anything about it:: she pondered sending out a thought tendril to Aleirian.

::No doubt he didn't mind and was more looking forward to you coming back to use it:: thought back the Companion smugly.

She ducked her head under the warm water for a moment feeling her cheeks grow hotter than warm water surrounding her.

She was still not accustomed to being teased this way by Aleirian. Considering he was a stallion in the herd of Companions he was rather blunt about these things, as she was normally too. Afterall, she was hardly a blushing maiden. However, she had remembered that that particular cold night, which had motivated her to bring in the braizer in the first place, had ceased to be a consideration once Alberich had joined her and pried the documents she was poring over out of her hands. However, the coals themselves had remained alive until the morning rays of the sun had penetrated the room, leaving none of the chill in the air that was associated with rapidly dropping temperatures.

Waking in the mornings had always been a bit of a shock to her even after a majority of her life had been spent doing so. However, that morning the outlines of the sun in glory glowing in the rays of the early morning sun had been recognizable when she first opened her eyes, her head still tucked between the pillow and a rather solid warm arm.

Checking for a moment by is breathing that he was still fast asleep, she sifted ever so slightly to look down on him and thought, rather in awe, that probably no one had ever seen this man so defenseless; yet if she were to unsheathe as much as a butter knife now he would be alert in an instant.

The blurry outlines of that craggy face almost made her want to reach out and trace them, but she stopped herself knowing this would certainly wake him up. It had been awhile until he could get used to sleeping the whole night with someone beside him, and not half awake as he was used to doing with his scouts.

As she had groped along the broad brim of the headboard for where she had carefully hung her spectacles the night before, a sudden shift in the bed and the very spectacles being placed carefully on the bridge of her nose brought Alberich's face into focus.

"Good morning" he said brushing the scratchy stubble on his chin slightly across her forehead as he grazed his lips there.

"Oh did I wake you?"

"Awake I was, when your movement I felt. Accidents I did not want to happen again," the corner of his mouth lifting despite his somewhat grim tone.

"Oh" was all she said having the grace to blush a bit at his tone. During one of their earlier trysts, she had been fumbling for her glasses and had been compelled to reached across him, but misjudging the edge of the bed she had overreached and pitched headfirst over the side, kneeing him in the stomach in the process.


	3. Chapter 3

Snapping out of her daydream she realized she was sitting in tepid water, and quickly rinsed and dried herself off.

::Chosen:: came the tentative mind-voice of her Companion as she reveled in the feeling of clean clothing. :: About your increasing duties. I was thinking, perhaps it might be too much to ask for a fellow herald to assist but what if we were to take someone from either Bardic or the Blues to assist?::

::Just what have you been plotting Aleirian?:: she asked mind-to-mind, as a few younger trainees trooped past her and she nodded in greeting to them. ::I don't know of anyone among the Bards or even bard trainees that professed an interest in the archives. And I can't imagine any of the blues, who are mostly highborn choosing this over their other amusements. I am well aware you wouldn't even consider the healers , knowing what their days are like.::

::Traditionally, the Court Archiver has always had an apprentice:: Aleirian protested ::Selenay must know that you need help! I won't have you overworked until the point where your eyes begin bothering you again. ::

::Oh Aleirian, have I been complaining enough to persuade you that my duties exceed my abilities, beloved?:: She teased back, walking quickly in the opposite direction most of the traffic towards the bathing rooms was coming from. She was struck with the thought that both she and Aleirian could use a good candlemark or so or companionship; besides she had been leaving his grooming and care to the stablehands far too long.

::It's not so much that you complain, but that the complaints are justified:: he huffed. :: Besides, oh-great-herald-chronicler , there are some things that you don't know, yet. :: He said somewhat mysteriously.

She reached the stables just thenand opened the door to find Aleirian looking expectantly at the door and nodding in greeting. Grabbing one of the brushes, the grooms kept handy, she immediately began brushing him glossy shoulders, and waited for him to sigh in satisfaction before asking.

::And what is it that I do not know, oh-all-knowing-companion?:: Working her way down his flank and down his legs she continued their interrupted conversation.

::Well, it just so happens that Bardic has just admitted a new trainee. A very small girl, who was personally brought in my her father. It caused quite a fuss for a few days.::

::Hmm:: she acknowledged ::letting the calming influence of making contact with Aleirian sooth away her own tension. :: Usually bardic trainees have less drama associated with their entry into the Collegium.

::Well for one she has a true gift, and a pretty powerful one considering she is only eight. Besides that, it was her father that made more of a stir. Apparently the man is gifted as well, but has never been formally trained.::

::Oh, I'm sure the bardic council had plenty to say about that:: she commented, knowing that depending on the level of bardic gift the untrained had, they could be considered a danger to themselves and others around them.

::It has been known to happen that the bards in the field miss such talents or fail to report back.:: the Companion said ruefully. :: However, it seems the father has been a travelling minstrel and scribe and has been moving his little girl with him, not only all over Valdemar, but most of Rethwellen and Seejay.

::Well!:: she mentally exclaimed, ::that would certainly make it difficult to track them with any consistency. However, I know for a fact that however precocious this young child is you would hardly be suggesting that I take her as my apprentice. ::

:: Is that an apple I smell?:: he replied in a non-sequitor, nosing at her pocket. She laughed and handed it over, finishing by brushing out his tail with long sweeps of the brush as he made quick work of the apple.

::Ah-hem:: he returned to the subject making her mildly suspicious that something was up, by making so many sidetracks in his conversation with her. ::No, of course, I wouldn't expose a child to some of the things that must be recorded or looked up again. Her education, for having traveled and never attended a temple is more than adequate according to the bards, but nevertheless, her precocious skills lie in music and especially her voice, if what is being said is true. It was actually her father I was thinking of::

::Her father? But you said someone among the trainees, I've never even seen this man:: she added a bit helplessly.

::Now, you've been buried under the mound of paper for a good fortnight and that is when they arrived. Maya is the child's name, and Lodin is her father. There was a whole ruckus when they first came since Maya wouldn't have her father leave her, no matter what the instructors and her father said. You know that most strong bardic gifts come with some form of empathy, especially for some reason the ones transmitted by voice. His gifts are more toward the writing of verse and music, I am told::

::You are told?:: She began to affirm her suspicions. ::Just how do you know so much about this father daughter pair?::

::Well:: said the Companion, looking pointedly away from her, even as his tail swished to and fro:: I might have asked some of the others to keep in mind that I was looking for some help for my overworked Chosen, and since the heralds live so closely with the bards, I just naturally...::

::You just naturally...Oh you're worse than the worst town-gossip, I swear:: she laughed looking at her Companion valiantly trying to appear affronted, and failing, before continuing :: What makes you even think that this man is going to stay just because his daughter had a temper tantrum? Or that he is willing or even able to help with my duties.::

::A temper tantrum is hardly just that backed up by the force almost equal to the Queen's Own Herald Talia. She had all the Bardic and half of the other houses of the Collegium in tears before the Queens Own herself and half of the Bardic Circle could tamp down on her powers. Apparently that is why her father brought her in, as she was growing more and more unstable. A good thing too. I caught a glimpse of her walking with her father near the 'pretty horses' in Companion's field, and she was a tiny mouse of a thing, not mistreated but terribly frightened by what was going on around her. The father, if you can believe it, looks more like a scribe than a bard, but apparently he had been putting together compositions for his mate to sing. I get the impression that she was moderately gifted as well, but passed as the child was born. He had been doing the same for his daughter, but as her gifts began to manifest, he wisely, saw that it was not longer a situation he could take control by himself. He also worked as a scribe through the various villages and towns they worked through. He needs to stay until they can get her settled, since apparently his gift is not so strong that the Bardic Circle feels he would be a harm to himself or others. Besides without his daughter to sing his compositions, he would be doing similar work once he left the Collegium anyway. ::

::My, my. We've certainly thought this out:: She thought back at him looking him directly in one bright blue eye. ::However, I look at some pretty classified materials and work for the Heraldic Circle, not to mention the Queen. What makes you think that he can be trusted?.::

::Well that:: faltered Aleirian ::I thought you could use him for the archiving project you are coordinating for the Bards. They have their own records they use for research separate from the Heralds and Healers. I know you have it started, so if he could take on that task wouldn't that leave you free to have a couple more candlemarks to yourself, and perhaps a few more of these delightful sessions with your Companion.:: He finished hopefully, gazing straight back into her bespectacled brown eyes.

A wave a guilt broke against Myste, and she reached up to wrap her arms around the strong shoulders and neck of her companion, nestling her head against the side of his neck. :: Oh, if only I was like other heralds. At least their dangerous missions are faced together with their Companions.::

::I would have you no other way, than the way that you are Chosen:: replied Aleirian stanchly ::Except perhaps more often:: he sent warmth down their bond.

She decided then. ::I will look further into this apprentice, Aleirian, I promise. You know I would rather spend time with you than anything else. If this man can help with the more nonsensical bureaucracy of estabilishing the Bardic archives I will gladly take his help, and I will see about meeting him sometime in the near future. Perhaps I can even catch him during the noontime meal. Which my stomach says is very soon.

::Leaving me so soon to satisfy your stomach:: Aleirian mock sniffed, only to blow gently on her still ruffled hair with his sweet hay smelling breath.

::The body is weak, beloved:: she smiled giving him one last pat before turning toward the double doors.


	4. Chapter 4

::Younglings:: thought Alberich with exasperation, which he kept from his expression as he oversaw the joint exercise with fellow Herald Keren in a corner of Companion's Field.

With Autumn beginning to remind everyone that winter was on the way, Alberich and the Master Equestrian Trainer Keren tried to hold as many outdoor sessions as possible. This latest debacle had been her idea, which Alberich had reluctantly seen the need for. Equestrian and Weapons training were among the most physical lessons that the trainees from any Circle in the Collegium had, yet only heraldic trainees were required to take both for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, for trainees only in their second year, as this bunch were, the exercise of weapons practice and riding were just that...exercise. In their minds weapons training was, of course, to train them to be heralds, and heralds fought for the crown, but the idea was as yet very abstract. Besides the relative peace of the past few years had lulled this still new group into what was not necessarily complacency but rather normalacy. Despite the ongoing tensions with Hardon. He stopped at that thought and wished it wasn't so that younglings acting like normal younglings was something that set his teeth on edge.

::Yet, chosen, how many heralds do you know that live normal lives.:: Soothed Kantor in the back of his mind ::You are merely trying to prepare them for what lies ahead.

::The worst that lies ahead:: he thought back grimly, as he barked at the heraldic trainee swinging his practice sword too close to his Companion's ear.

"Your Companion thank you will not, if your strike you misjudge" and saw the lad cringe and correct his posture as he continued to spar with his mounted opponent.

It was not that they were poor students. It was just that it was the first time that they had to combine weapons practice with riding in conditions simulated to pit them against an opponent similar to them.

These younglings would be the last group he would hold this training with. The first years were still falling over themselves on flat ground, and he would have no more injuries if he could help it. Already, one slight female trainee who had been enthusiastic, but not yet agile enough to pull off some of the movements she could do on her feet on horseback had tumbled right over her Companion's shoulder head over heels and had sprained her ankle.

The good thing about training with Companions was their lightening speed communication among themselves. As soon as it happened, or as it happened, Alberich could never tell, before he could get more out than a firm "Halt" the Companions froze in place, even before their riders had noticed the command and there had been no treading on the girl as she lay dazed on the ground. He had promptly dismounted and gone over to check the damage. When he ascertained it was not broken he had lifted her in his arms himself and carried her over to Keren who had carried the girl to the infirmary and had continued practice as if nothing untoward had happened.

He watched them stony faced and only occasionally stopping to point out a problem with wrist work and the changes in lunging posture astride as the class progressed. Keren sidled up to him on her Companion and remarked in low tones.

"This lot is understandably the worst at this exercise. It was only to be expected."

"Hmph" he sighed. "The girl?"

"Oh she'll be fine. Her Companion is as young as she is and overeager too. The healer said she will be able to rejoin classes in a couple of days if she keeps a poultice on it."

"This exercise not a bad idea be." he said still looking closely at the bouts going on before them. "However, other measure of practice there must be before fighting astride is attempted again."

"Well"smiled Herald Keren "after a week of these practices, I think the more important lesson has been drilled into all but the very youngest of the trainees."

Alberich merely looked at her sideways and lifted and eyebrow.

"Don't you see Alberich? They are beginning to connect that what they learn here, they will be expected to use. Not only in a supervised setting, applying only one skill at a time, but as the situation calls for them."

After considering a moment he sighed "Not a bad thing this be. Nevertheless, first years will be kept from it, until their weapons they can hold properly on the ground."

After dismissing the bedraggled trainees from the last joint session of the day. The two instructors allowed the trainees to go into the stable and look after their Companions, while they discussed other exercises that could be implemented without being as dangerous to the newly trained. Then as the trainees slowly left to get their noonday meal Keren turned and said.

"I assume you are still making your 'trips' down into Haven." she started off saying casually, but he could sense that there was a tension behind her words.

"Yes" he said simply.

The next words out of her mouth came in a rush and startled Alberich, though he didn't show it.

"Oh, I'll just be blunt. You asked for my help some time ago on certain missions and it has been almost a year since. If you think I still need time to get over...over what happened to Ylsa, you're wrong." She finished that last part with a glint and challenging look straight into his eyes.

Alberich was startled by the sudden vehemence in Keren's outburst and paused for a moment, though not showing any overt reaction.

::Keren thinks you have been shielding her from your request since the death of her life-mate. The past year for her has been a difficult one. Though her bond was renewed with another, she was..is still fragile in many ways. Her circumstance is unique, not many survive a broken life-bond, and the strain has driven her to doubt herself, where before she never would have. She questions her usefulness to the Circle as she is:: Kantor said solemnly in his mind.

:: She should know she is indispensable:: protested Alberich while he thought of what he must say.

::Yes, but we all grow insecure in our place, Chosen, at one time or another; whether we are born into it or we earn it.::

"Twas not your failing, Keren" he said meeting her eyes. "I do what I must do, but I have been fortunate to train another, so my duty is not so great. Less obligation and more time, this person has. Insult was not meant. Perhaps, at first, I could see time you needed. Yet, unfit for duty I never thought you." He finished truthfully.

For a long time she said nothing, just looking hard into his eyes as if delving for truth there, and he stood firm and met her gaze.

"Thank you" she said at last, no doubt some of that silence had been her Companion reassuring her that Alberich was telling the truth, or so he hoped.

"I know, of all people, you would tell me the truth. That is why we liked you, Ylsa and I, when you became second for Armsmaster Dethor. Ylsa...she saw you practicing with the guardsmen and she said that if we were blinded enough not to make use of you and your skills we were all too damned foolish to go on being Heralds, and of course that Kantor would not have chosen wrong."

Alberich knew, even without his still erratic gift of foresight, that he was needed in the capacity that he had been seldom called for. For the next few candlemarks, after moving back to the salle and replacing the equipment, with Keren's help, he listened. Of course, the majority of his duty down in the slums of Haven was listening, but his duty now was to help a comrade in arms, a friend and sister, remember one who had fallen. It can't be said that Alberich added much to the conversation, mainly he listened, but he listened with knowledge and remembrance of Ylsa, whom he had hand picked to become one of Seleney's female guards, when she was still just the heir and not the Queen. Ylsa, whose ashen and courtly looks belied the the tough no-nonsense interior. A true warrior who had given of herself unflinchingly and died, like so many heralds before, and no doubt many who would follow, alone but for her Companion; in service to their Monarch and land.

Leaving her life-mate. True, when he was in the Sun guards he never had to deal with paring such as Ylsa and Keren, but he attributed that to the fact that women were not allowed in the Sunsguard. In fact, there had been discrete shield-mates among the men. Despite it being against the holy writ, he had the vague notion that there were greater evils in the world and turned a blind eye, so long as it never interfered with their duties, which it never did. Coming to Valdemar and being among the heralds and opened his eyes to the concept of life-bonding. This was apparently what Ylsa and Keren had been. A soul-tie that took root in two hearts, making them one. It sounded god-blessed, and he thought better of trying to judge something that seemed ordained by higher powers than he. He could not even begin to conceive of such a thing happening between two individuals, each with their own upbringing and experiences to be so inexorably tied to one anothers thoughts and feelings. In his private thoughts he shuddered, thinking it must almost be like going mad. Yes, he had his bond with Kantor, but even that had been a major adjustment and Kantor was a courteous mind speaker and hardly pried, much less expected unconditional agreement from him.

Keren was hardly one to break down, at least not to him, whatever she might have done in the privacy of her own rooms; but he could tell that talking about Ylsa to someone who didn't flinch at her name or try and overly sympathize with her was what she needed. After they had winded down the conversation with what improvements they could make for the field training, she cast him a grateful look and took her leave.

He knew Keren had friends, even one who was more than a friend, another herald who had pulled her out of the suicidal malestrom of emotions that had threatened to engulf her when Ylsa had died. However, he also knew that there were few among even the heralds that could look death straight in the eye and contend with it's aftermath. Which was strange since most heralds at one time or another came to grips with their mortality. They were forced to put a price on their own lives, and that price was always the good of the monarch and the kingdom.

:: Their own lives, Chosen:: came a grave voice ::Yet, despite or because of that, they are more sensitive to when others are taken. Each death of a member of the heraldic circle not only brings their own mortality to the fore, many are burdened with the memory of their own personal losses, not to mention the ones with empathy. Keren has had the best intentioned people surrounding her, but even her twin fails to recognize that all she needs is someone to remember Ylsa as she was, instead of trying to tell Keren she is in a better place and trying to give her well worn platitudes. Her Companion is worried about Keren, she wants to thank you for being that human ear for her. Wythra thinks Keren feels those of the Circle are forgetting Ylsa. Even her current mate Sherill, despite their growing bond, cannot relate or understand everything, she is too young and Keren feels it would be cruel to make her do so.

:: Please tell Wythra it is very little I can do. A fallen comrade should always been remembered not only for the great deed that ended their life, but for how they lived it:: and he left it at that, preparing the salle for the special practice session he had with trainee Skif.

Taking on a protege had initially more time consuming than solely seeing to it that the information from the underbelly of Haven kept flowing. Especially, this protege, who spent more time in trouble for misdemeanors at the Colleigium than any ten trainees combined. Nevertheless, there were times when he felt a small satisfaction that there would be at least one herald in the future that would be able to carry out this duty, if called for, in the correct manner.

Some time later, he entered his quarters again for his supper. In the common room beside the fire was the usual covered platters delivered from the Colleigium kitchens. He felt a vague sense of disappointment at something lacking before brushing it aside and cleaning up to eat.

It somehow seemed a very long time since the sight of those platters spread out for two had graced the simple table in his common room and another face, preferably one with spectacles had looked across the table at him. It was rare that he felt the lack of companionship. He was not particularly social, and while a few good friends were always welcome to dine in his quarters he rarely dined in the communal dining room like the other instructors, as his role was to be less approachable, and more inscrutable in his role as armsmaster.

He paced for awhile before picking up one of the slim volumes of history written in Karsite, that Myste had gifted him. After a moment of perusing it's pages he decided to move his pacing outside and perhaps let him take it near the old palace toward the quarters of a certain Herald Chronicler. It had been nearly a fortnight since he had seen her afterall.

With that thought he grabbed up a bottle of good wine that Elcarth had given him and headed out, sure he would find Myste in her accustomed place in the archives, or better yet in her rooms.

Nearing the foot of the staircase he paused for a moment hearing the steady murmur of conversation in the quiet hallway of the otherwise unoccupied wing. The sound was decidedly coming from Myste's rooms. Myste often spoke aloud, he had noticed with amusement, unlike many of the other heralds, himself included, who at times just looked pensive and nodded or made some other indication that they were deep in conversation with their Companions. She laughingly called seeming 'mad' an occupational hazard, as for most of the day she was alone and at times she needed to hear a human voice, even if it was just her own. However, the voices did not seem to belong to just Myste alone. Another unfamiliar voice, spoke with deep tones and suppressed chuckles, a male voice followed closely by the clear peal of laughter that was Myste. That momentarily made Alberich pause at the door before knocking. The addition of another female voice made him relax a bit before considering whether it was okay to knock.

As if sensing his indecision Kantor spoke in is mind :: Aleirian, says Myste is just hosting the dean of Bardic and what she thinks may be her new temporary assistant.::

Suddenly before he had to knock, the door was flung open and Myste stood before him.

"Alberich" she exclaimed, reaching out to pull him in with both arms. "Welcome, and look you brought more refreshments." she turned to face the two sitting on chairs that looked as though they had been dragged from the empty rooms down the hall along with a rather makeshift table.

"I hope we haven't overstayed our welcome" drawled a stately woman dressed in deep scarlet. Bard Arissa was the formidable Dean of Bardic and the melodious dusky tone in her voice belied how that same voice could be used to quell and subdue misbehaving Bardic trainees, a sight he had been privileged to see on occasion as Bardic traninees were encouraged to take weapons training. "It is rare to find stimulating conversation, good company, and good wine" she finished with a glance toward their nearly empty glasses.

"No, Arissa. I have been so isolated in my tower room, with only books as company that you and Master Lodin have been just what I have needed." Myste laughed. Turning slightly toward Alberich she continued.

"Alberich, you know Arissa and this is Master Lodin Greenkin. His daughter Maya will be enrolling in Bardic shortly and Master Lodin has been kind enough to offer his skills and time toward the completion of the Bardic Chronicle Archive."

Alberich nodded his head toward Arissa and bowed toward the man seated beside the small hearth fire. The first thing Alberich noticed about him was that he too had spectacles perched on the bridge of his aquiline nose. Over them bright intelligence gleamed out of the friendly green eyes topped by bland hanks of somewhat ruffled hair. He soon learned what caused those locks to be so frazzled looking. It was the habit of their owner to absentmindedly run his hand through them at varying intervals.

"And this" concluded Myste "is Herald Alberich, weapons-master here at the Colleigium"

The appropriate greetings were exchanged and Alberich handed over the bottle of wine as his contribution to this little gathering. All the while he felt an uneasy twinge, feeling uneasier still because he was not sure if it was because of Arissa's knowing glance that he had come at this hour to Myste's quarters bearing a bottle of good wine or that Myste had introduced him as the weapons-master and nothing more.


	5. Chapter 5

Myste had entered the dining hall without much hope of finding Lodin and Maya, but cheerful nevertheless, as the smell promised culinary delights. She was surprised to find Master Bard Arissa waving her to a table almost as soon as she walked in.

The tantalizing odors of juicy roast beef and greens along with a slight sweetness that indicated pies as after sweets made her mouth water. As soon as she sat down and greeted Arissa, she was served by a grinning curly haired boy in trainee grays.

"Good afternoon, Skif" she smiled.

"Ma'am" he bobbed his head and held out a heaping dish of greens from which she helped herself liberally.

"Keeping out of trouble I see"

"A' much as I kin mum" he said, deliberately reverting back to his rough accents.

"See that you keep to it" she mock chided him. " Each time you pull something spectacularly disastrous I have to see about getting it written down so that future generations will be warned of the likes of you" She smiled and he grinned as he wisked away to serve a newcomer and made room for the bardic trainee holding the platter of meat behind him.

She took a few bites of food, relishing not only the taste but the buzz of human conversation about her before Arissa turned back to her and introduced the man who had been seated beside her. Myste had never seen him before and considering he was one of the few not wearing any shade of the three distinctive colors that differentiated people in the hall, she assumed he was either a local storyteller or visiting scribe. He certainly looked the part, wearing half spectacles that rested somewhat precariously on the bridge of his aquiline nose. A high forehead and dark blond hair that stood straight up along with rough clothing that had once been fine but not flamboyant made him very likely to be a scribe.

"Myste, you're just the person I wanted to see. I was going to barge in on your offices right after lunch, as a matter of fact." The low contralto tones of the Master Bard swirled around her, and she marveled once again at how almost subconsciously Arissa could make her words sound as if you were the most sought after person in the world. Not to mention that the woman was stunning in her own right. Many said that Master Bard Arissa, Dean of the Bardic Collegium, was of gypsy stock, but no one had ever been brave or foolish enough to ask her straight out. Her dusky skin and shining raven black hair certainly seemed to add credence to the stories. Her upright slender bearing and sweet voice certainly had at one time led men in positions of power to underestimate her abilities or personality, a mistake which they never made twice.

"This is Master Greenkin. Lodin Greenkin. He is the father of one of our new Bardic trainees, Maya Greenkin and I have a proposition that would interest the both of you a great deal. Not to mention solve some of my own problems." the last was said on such a plaintive note that both her listeners winced a bit.

"Master Greenkin, this is Herald Chronicler Myste. She is in charge of all records for the Court, as well as Heraldic and Bardic Circles. The healers have their own records."

"Mice to neet you." the man had what could be called a pleasant voice, but was confused because he had been in the process of putting a forkful of greens in his mouth only to hastily remove the fork so that he could greet Myste. Then between trying to swallow the entire mouthful without the helpful process of chewing and trying to speak he slightly choked, causing him to grip the side of the table, where the handle of his fork unfortunately lay, resulting in flinging some more of the greens onto his shirt.

As Myste watched this remarkable spectacle, forgetting to touch her own food, Lodin Greenkin flushed and tried to dab out the greens from his shirt managing to get some on his hand, which he then proceeded to run though his worried hair, leaving a semi-visible green streak along the side of his head.

"Oh dear, Master Greenkin" Arissa said "I am sorry I startled you. Please feel free to use the washroom, you seem to have a bit of.." she finished indicating on her own scalp where the green streak in his lay.

"Yes, please" was the muffled reply, as he looked apologetically at the both of them before making a dash toward the washroom.

"Oh my" said Myste, " I do hope he is okay. It's quite a coincidence really, I was hoping to see about about something too. About Master Greenkin as a matter of fact. Though he seems awfully frazzled at the moment."

"Oh no." sighed Arissa "that, I am afraid, is what Master Greenkin is like on a good day. The man does mean well and he is gifted in several things, such as composition and scholarly pursuits, but to put it succinctly the man has two left feet and is at times carried away by his scholarly pursuits to a degree that he forgets to eat or drink or sleep for long periods of time. It is one of the reasons that I am having so much trouble convincing Maya that she needs to stay at Bardic." she ended with a sigh, and saw the somewhat confused expression on Myste's face.

"Oh I'm sorry. I must sound just as preoccupied as Master Greenkin at the moment."

"Well not exactly. Considering I heard something about Maya and Master Greenkin from my Companion."

"Bless them, they certainly are fast on the news aren't they? Well, I know you have been looking to organize the Bardic Archives into some semblance of order similar to the filing system of Heraldic, as we do not for the time being have our own Chronicler. I was thinking Master Greenkin could be of use in that department."

Seeing the somewhat dubious expression on Myste's face Arissa hurried on. "I assure your he is perfectly proficient with a pen and paper and he had a first rate mind behind that absentminded facade. Besides, his daughter is adamant that she she not stay here to be trained if her father does not remain somewhere close by. Now, I know what you're thinking, but I very much doubt that this is just a mere case of childish willfulness or nerves. As far as I can see the child is remarkably self sufficient, and mature. If anything it is the opposite, she feels, in quite a justified way in my opinion, that her father could not do without her. Now Master Greenkin and I, as well as Elcarth, have spent many hours speaking with the child, who to complicate matters is a very, very strong empath, to show her how this time at the Colleigium is necessary so that she is not a danger to herself or others. She seems to see our points enough to try a trial period here, but whenever her father brings up that he cannot stay her worry and anguish immediately flare up and she projects unwittingly to most of Bardic and Healers as well as at least half of Heraldic. I am surprised you didn't feel it even in your tower."

"Like you said, half of Heraldic. I am assuming you mean those with the gift. I am unfortunate, or fortunate in this case, not to have that gift and I am rather far away" Myste concluded. " I see your dilemma, and my own Companion has been at me to find help before I run myself to the ground between the Court, Heraldic duties, and the Bardic Archives. Nevertheless, I must ask, how are you sure he his capable of helping me with the archives and does Master Greenkin even want to do so? Are you sure you are not tying him down unnecessarily due to your desperation to keep his daughter?

Before Arissa could answer, a mild voice came from behind her answering her question.

"I did not mean to overhear your conversation ladies, but I believe I am better equipped to answer those questions. I am sorry my first impression was less than impressive." Lodin Greenkin said wryly.

"Now to answer your questions. My youth was spent in the temple, as my parents were relatively wealthy merchants, and I was but a third son. They might have intended me for service, but I proved more apt with a pen and paper than with religious devotions and was instead trained as a clerk, in hopes that I could perhaps help my elder brothers. Instead, I developed an interest I had for writing compositions for songs. I moved about collecting fodder for songs and doing temporary clerk or archiving duties until I met my wife" at this point his eyes shone, not with tears but with something she might have said was happy remembrance. "Melissa was a gifted singer. Untrained but with some subtle kind of gift. We married, two years later Maya was born, but Melissa died shortly afterward." he paused for a moment, and she could tell that there was more he might have said about this but didn't, so she waited for him to continue.

"I settled for a few years in the town of Borgen, if you could find some reports that a herald on circuit there said that he would file, you will note that he wrote of a small library for the common folk. I was in charge of this place. Borgen is a relatively prosperous town and even before the Queen instituted Queens bread and mandatory schooling for all younglings, most of the villagers sent their children to this unoffical school to learn their letters and sums. Borgen only had a Temple of the Beasts, and there were few there that were prepared to teach the wisdom in books to younglings. However, a few years back another temple was build and I transferred my duties once I learned they would accept children of any creed, not only their own. Maya had begun to sing like her mother, and she began to show true gift. We left Borgen and took to the road again to become traveling minstrels. However, her gift is strong lady Herald, and I do not want to see her get hurt or hurt others by it." he concluded.

After a pause to assess all that he had told her, noting some abrupt pauses which suggested that there was more to the story, and making a mental note to check the records for the particular town, she said gently.

"First of all Master Greenkin, please call me Myste. I am gratified to have been told your story when you know so little of mine."

"Thank you, but you must in turn call me Lodin. I am perhaps not as learned as many others who would be happy to assist you, no doubt, but I am always interested to learn and have dreamed of going through archives of this length and breadth, such as there is at the Colleigium."

Apart from the soft snort she had let out when he had spoken of the many others rushing to assist her she was rather charmed by his speech. While his coordination skills left something to be desired, she decided to make the best of the situation.

::And someone here needs to go for a training session with Herald Alberich before casting stones. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak, Chosen:: came a reprimand from Aleirian.

"Master Gr...er Lodin." she started smiling and pretending not to have heard her Companions retort. "There aren't as many people as you would think who are overeager to spend their time buried neck deep in the archives as they are." she retorted wryly "and I would be glad of your help. Nevertheless, you must first come and see some of the work I have been doing before you so freely offer your sevices. You may find you have spoke too soon."

"That would be wonderful. I do know that the bards at least keep a rudimentary journal of their travels and then organize anything of note to enter into the Archives and on that note, I think I can contribute some of my own notes, from our travels."

"Well that would be excellent" she said smiling broadly back. Now perhaps she would have a smidgen more time, and she knew exactly how she would like to spend it. Perhaps Aleirian had not been far off the mark when suggesting a practice session with Alberich.

"If both of you could come to my quarters later this afternoon, I will go over my plans for the Bardic Archives, you Arissa have to be there to approve and perhaps we can get started right away."

"We will see you there" Arissa said, rising. As for now I have to see about getting Master Greenkin properly lodged.

"Huh" said the mentioned gentleman. "Lodin, Dean, please. And my quarter's now are perfectly sufficient."

"No, we have you lodged with the guards at the moment and those quarters were never meant for long term occupation. We have plenty of space after the expansion of the dormitories. Doesn't the section of the Old palace you are in have some room Myste?"

"Some room?" echoed Myste, "it feels as though there had been a plague and people had lite out, it's so deserted. I know the amenities are slightly better in the newer wing, but my quarters are just that much closer to the archives and lord knows we can't move those the way they are."

"Well that settles it." Arissa said waiting for Lodin to stand "Let's go tell your daughter the good news and perhaps tonight we won't be plagued by worry dreams." she remarked not unkindly but with an edge of exasperation.

"Thank you Herald Myste, thank you." he said bobbing his head " you have no idea what a weight this will be off Maya's head. I apparently don't strike her as being able to take care...whoops"

The final part had been the result of his standing up too abruptly and the bench underneath him shooting out to trip another server who went sprawling with a thankfully almost empty plate of pies.

"Oh my dear young man" Lodin started, trying to stoop down and help the trainee up, but Arissa rolled her eyes and pulled him up saying, "It was an accident Master Lodin, please, the trainee is fine. See you in a few candlemarks Myste" she called out over her shoulder while towing a man easily her height and then some, who looked as though he were still apologizing.

Torn between laughing and feeling immensely worried about the offer she had made the man, she resolved not to do either on an empty stomach. After helping the poor trainee up, this time from Healers, with the help of other servers who came to pick up the scattered pies she managed to take one of the unsoiled ones for herself and overheard.

"My fault for getting to close to that one" the healer trainee muttered as he brushed off his pale green tunic.

"What's a matter Lucin, reflexes not what they use'ta be?" came the saucily grinning Skif passing by with another platter of pies.

Apparently, this trainee had a good sense of humor too, so he was able to meet Skif's grim with an answering one, but ruefully he said, "I saw it happen two days ago, and I was still caught unawares. Master Gruien says that one's as ungainly as a colt, and caused enough accidents since he's come. Thankfully nothing too serious and mostly too himself, but almost a third more bruise poultice has been requested during the fortnight he's been here."

Myste chewed silently, enjoying the food but thinking of the many accidents that could happen in her haphazardly organized corner of the archives, with it's stacks of books and both opened and unopened jars of ink in different hues.


	6. Chapter 6

A few hours later with a somewhat cleaner desk and shorter stacks of books, none above head level, if she could help it, she sat having checked the records that Lodin had mentioned. The town of Borgen on the northeastern part of the kingdom was indeed a prosperous little burg that had seen its share of revenue from sale of timber and oddly enough dyes. The system they had had of educating their children at the library was indeed something that had been organized by one Lodin Greenkin, who had handed over both the facility and the responsibilities therein to the Temple of the Sun that had entered the area. Interesting that the Temple of the Sun had gone so far north. She mused thinking it would be something interesting to tell Alberich. That is if she could ever find her way out of this pile of paper to go and see him.

When Arissa and Lodin had come by that afternoon Myste had explained the method in which she had decided to tackle the task of organizing the Bardic Archives. Some surprisingly helpful suggestions from Lodin were forthcoming and Arissa agreed to the whole thing, saying she would bring it before the council of master bards, but could see no problem with it especially considering that they had not seen fit before this to take a hand to it before.

Lodin had brought the journals of his travels throughout the kingdom and beyond and after perusing some of the pages she decided to hear from him directly, whereupon she learned that apart from his gift of composing he had a bit of the storyteller's flair in him as well. There were no mishaps in the archives. As a matter of fact, Lodin seemed supremely at home among the books and scrolls, he soon had the both of them in stitches with the comic episodes and his renditions of strange characters he had come across in his travels. To make themselves more comfortable they moved down to her quarters and brought chairs and a table from the rooms across the hallway. She opened bottle of the wine she had kept in her room, and they soon had a cozy conversation going, so far as to have dinner delivered.

Later in the evening, she felt a mental nudge that was Aleirian. ::Chosen, there is someone at the door for you. And if you do not hurry to catch him, he may lose courage and turn back.::

::Alberich?:: she thought back half question, half exclamation, and felt a sudden flush that was not just the wine. He had come to see her!

She jumped up in the middle of the conversation, probably much to the surprise of her two guest, more so Lodin that Arissa, who had dealt with heralds before. In three strides she was to the door flinging it open to see Alberich with an almost guilty expression on his face.

She dragged him in, making introductions all around. She suddenly wished Arissa and Master Lodin were a thousand leagues away, but she plastered on a smile and was the gracious hostess. Throughout the evening she kept stealing glances at Alberich, who seemed relaxed enough though it was still hard to tell what the man was thinking. She noticed that he looked weary and hoped that he wasn't running himself ragged with staying up all nights to go down to Haven. Oh if she had only checked on him more often, she didn't think she had the power to dissuade him from going when he really had to, but she was sure there were nights he went just because there was no reason not to. During the course of the next candlemark, during a particularly vivid tale by Master Lodin, of his trying to ford a river with his daughter, his hand motions knocked the half full glass of wine over. Before anyone could get more than a gasp of dismay out, Alberich had automatically grabbed it. He met Myste's eyes at that moment and one eyebrow arched slightly upward. She smiled at him and thanked him with her eyes.

Soon she was yawning, an action that was not one hundred percent genuine, hoping to discretely indicate the late hour to her guests. Soon they too began to see how late the hour had become and began to make their farewells. She saw them to the door, and surprisingly Lodin and Alberich were the first to depart after words of thanks, she stanched her dismay and bid Arissa goodnight, thinking that the dark haired woman seemed to look knowingly at her as she turned away.

Perhaps he was going to double back, she thought with the fuzziness that drinking in excess always seemed to leave her. It would seem strange for Alberich stay and have only the other two leave. Not that their relationship was a secret at the Colleigium. Nevertheless, neither was it widely known or suspected even. Discretion was her motto and downright secrecy seemed to be Alberich's and somewhere down the road, they had decided in an unspoken manner that no one needed to know save for themselves and the few that happened to find out.

It wasn't as though she denied it to anyone, anyone who asked anyway. For all their mind-speaking gifts, heralds were intensely private people and as such they respected the privacy of their fellows and even among close friends information that wasn't freely offered was rarely inquired after. Perhaps this was not true among the trainees yet, but a majority of the full heralds followed this unspoken rule. It was just that so much of their lives were devoted to public duty, and the image of being open and approachable, so that they guarded that small corner of privacy with an intensity only those in constant public scrutiny can understand.

Then again who would even think to ask, she thought to herself, subconsciously training her eyes to the door trying to be alert to any creaking floorboards in the vicinity. She had admitted to herself from the beginning what an unlikely pair they made. While Alberich was most certainly not what the courtiers might call handsome in a classical sense, he was lean with tall stature and way of moving that showed strength and ability. If his features were marred by scarring and the bone structure thought too foreboding, it was just that much more of a challenge to find the spark of humor in such a face. She thought of that face now, tanned in almost a leathery way from constant exposure to sun and weather, the network of tiny white lines marking the scarring from the fire that that brought him to Valdemar, the black hair, now showing signs of gray at the temples carefully kept short and neat in military many ways, Myste had come to regard Alberich as a particularly arcane and difficult text; inapproachable from its cover and first impression, yet nothing was as rewarding as finding the gems of knowledge and insight between its covers. She had always particularly enjoyed challenging books.

And therein lay the difference. She by comparison did not have any of the physical attributes that normally graced heralds. As as matter of fact she had been reminding herself not to be too critical of  
Lodin's constant mishaps, as she was only slightly better at not falling over her own feet. She had never never ridden anything larger than a pony before she had been chosen, and that only a handful of times when her work had taken her further than she could have walked out to. She had always been short not to mention shortsighted, and remembered vividly overhearing her own mother comment how she would never marry out for her beauty. There was something particularly horrible about hearing one's own mother say that, even if one knows it is the truth. Nevertheless, her mother nor her father for that matter had not been cruel, just practical working people. Her father had been an accountant and her mother a seamstress, unfortunate that she as a girl had shown more aptitude in the former trade than the latter. Her plain mousy brown hair and the spectacles she had acquired at the age of eleven had turned away even the most undesirable boys, and she and sought solace in her studies; soon she had not gone for solace but for the books themselves. Her earliest crush had wheedled into her good graces, for which she was overjoyed, until she found out that he had wanted her to compose a love letter to be given to another girl in her neighborbood; such were her experiences. When she saw her childhood friends cry over broken hearts, settle down as they saw their beauty begin to fade and become shrill wives, she thought that maybe it had not been such a loss. She had been established as a competent clerk and there was even a surprising niche for her since her gender and disposition seemed to make people think she was more or less trustworthy. Then when the same childhood friends had babies she felt a slight twinge, however, nothing came without a price and she had her autonomy and would have Aleirian.

Apart from a few brief encounters of the amorous kind, which she kept brief for a variety of reasons she felt that she was lucky in finding a calling she was good at and a relatively comfortable life. Then Aleirian had chosen her, and her well ordered life came crashing down. She had fit the role of the unseen clerk and accountant to a tea, but she was no one's, least her own, image of a herald. It wasn't that she didn't think women made good heralds. She had been in awe of Herald Ylsa, whose main duty it had been to act as courier, when she had first been chosen. She had been a silverblond beauty who was stately and athletic enough to match her Companion. Whereas, she , Myste, needed to have formal whites cut from and entirely different mold. Herald Ylsa's death had been tragic, yet herald-like.

"Whereas I am likely to be crushed by an errant pile of ancient records" she murmured somewhat morosely under her breath.

The door in her line of vision was growing strangely fuzzy as her sleep fogged eyes threatened to close.

She realized that he probably wasn't going to come back and wanted to march down to the salle herself, but her legs refused to obey.

Still curled up in the armchair shifted her view to the small fireplace and watched the glowing coals. Thinking back over the evening she thought of the smiling glances that Arissa had directed toward Alberich with a bit of annoyance. While an annoying voice in her mind whispered how they would make a more likely looking pair. Afterall, who would ever suspect the hawklike arms-master and the dumpy chronicler.

Overwhelmed for a moment with this depressing thought she shut her eyes for a moment, and didn't open them again until morning.

Alberich was feeling decidedly foolish. As he always did when he was agitated he paced, but instead of his narrow quarters he used a stretch of Companion's Field behind the salle.

What had possessed him to go up to Myste's rooms tonight? He very well knew what had possessed him. Then when got there instead of acting like a respectable human being, he had stood there like a rock imbibing wine like he was at one of the taverns in Haven by himself; silent and listening.

::Alberich:: said Kantor into his mind emerging from the trees and sidling along his Chosen.

::Would you care for some company?:: came the gentle inquiry.

Wordlessly Alberich put his hand on Kantor's well muscled neck and sighed.

::Wish, I could, that more engaging I was:: were the surprising admission from Alberich after they had strolled the length of the salle.

::Like a petulant child I was, finding she was with company:: he mused.

::Herald Myste was probably happy to see you. Like I was saying this morning Chosen, you need more companionship. Everyone has been overburdened with extra border patrols along Hardorn and the Queen's Own being on her first assignment.::

There was nothing that could be said to that. It was the truth, yet he had gone to see Myste and had behaved like a bumbling youth when faced with a circumstance he did not anticipate. His mood had grown worse as Arissa kept giving him sly looks that made it clear she knew why he had come, and the scholarly looking man had kept telling interesting stories that made Myste's eye light up with interest.

Then instead of nonchalantly staying behind as the other two left, he had felt impelled to leave with the group and bid everyone a stiff goodnight and headed back toward the salle. Part of it had been a real disconcertion at finding unexpected company where he thought he would enjoy a quiet evening with

Myste. Normally he enjoyed the company of his fellow heralds, and had taken to joining in the occasional gatherings that happened following court events, if only for a few candlemarks, but the company combined with Kantor's comments this morning made him think more about Myste and himself. Did she expect him to make a more tangible commitment?

He thought back to when he had first been introduced to her. He was still second to Dethor and though he had run a great many trainees and guards through their paces, he had never felt so exasperated as when he had first put a practice blade into her hand.

With the highly trained overconfident brats of the high born he could put his guard down anticipating where their carefully calculated blows would fall as coached by their trainers. However, with Myste, who had none of the muscle control associated with holding, not to mention wielding, a sword, he had taken near dangerous misses as she swung wildly with the odd helmet-like contraption on her head to hold the spectacles on her face. The problem was that it also limited, if not completely blocked her peripheral vision making her jab wildly rather than swing her sword. After that first lesson, Alberich had rather emphatically taken her off swords work and had her working instead with short knives, teaching her every dirty trick he knew. When he had proposed she leave her spectacles on or have ones made with a firmer hold on her ears she had looked askance at him.

"Maybe next time arms-master. Spectacles are hard to replace and I rather like the pair I have now. Besides my training headgear is sufficient for me."

"Perhaps, scare the opponent it would." he had been provoked into muttering under his breath. To be sure he had taken a drubbing to his midsection when she had swung wide of the mark and nearly toppled into the stave rack; when he had grabbed her elbow, she had instead fallen backward her shoulder hitting him in the stomach.

Nonplussed as usual, at first it had struck him as different; her reaction to him, then pleasantly refreshing, as she did not cringe or cower as most females did when his temper got the better of him, or his voice raised a notch. Seleney, and only a few other heralds were not outright wary of him, but Myste had been the only one to respond to his intensity with a corresponding calmness.

"Was that a joke arms-master" she had panted under the helm of her headgear.

"Never joke I do" he replied solemnly.

After the first few sessions, he was glad that he decided to train her separately. Not only in consideration of her schedule and duties, but so he could maintain order and minimize damage in his other classes. She had grown more coordinated, taking his advice about ordering another pair of snugger glasses made and he had worked with her on her tactic of cut and run. It was very unlikely, as she was the Herald Chronicler that she would be sent on patrols or even courier duty, yet there was always going to be the possibility of war, in which every herald was going to be called to the front to serve in whatever capacity they could. The thought made his blood run cold some nights.

He felt that they were equals, she in her rank as Herald Chronicler, which was on par with Arms-master , and she held her own in a conversation or debate like he could do in a physical battle. There were times though that he wondered in what light she considered his place in her life. She was very good about keeping things comfortable and casual, and while he wasn't in any hurry to define the boundaries of their pairing, he wondered at times if he wasn't too uncouth for her. A career soldier, used to being in mostly male company, who depended on his wits and training to get him out of trouble could hardly have the kind of stories fit for company. No, though he appreciated a good book, he was not as learned as she or those in the court were.

Say for instance, the man who had held down the corner of her hearth this evening. He had conversed easily and expressively, not counting on Myste at all to carry the conversation.

Though he had thought briefly of returning to her rooms, he dismissed the idea quickly. Instead he headed into the salle for another restless night with a final pat to Kantor's flank, leaving the companion in the gathering fog, a stalwart white figure staring after his Chosen.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh curse it" she hissed into stack of papers before her. She had a flashback of having done this once for Queen Selenay, with none too positive results, which just made her temper all the more volatile. Looking up geneological charts for Elspeth. Good god, the babe was barely past being the Royal Brat, and still much to young to be thinking of as marriage bait.

Yet she knew deep down that whether or not something came of it, it did need to be in place. Trouble seemed to be brewing in Hardorn, and all the royal houses of neighboring countries as well as the noble houses within Valdemar were bracing in any way they could for the backlash.

Just after a day and a half of looking through the lineage of every great house she could lay her hands on she felt vexed beyond reason.

:: Trying I take it Chosen:: came the sympathetic mind voice of her Companion

::Dearheart, it looks as though half these families are inbred enough to create a disaster somewhere shortly down the line. It's a wonder many of them can stand up and feed themselves much less rule, or lead a horse much less a country.:: she snorted with disgust

She got the equivalent of mental laughter along their link, which relaxed her considerably.

::I long to throw the whole mess out and go down to the salle::

::Oh?:: said the Companion innocently :: I didn't know you still had training with the arms-master::

::Not the kind of training that he does with his other students, I hope:: she mindspoke with wry humor.

::How improper:: wickered the Companion

"I swear I am going to finish this by late afternoon, brush you down and go for my well earned reward at the salle and make Alberich eat! He looks tired" she finished, putting her nose to the grindstone again

:: One more thing love,:: she finished as she reached for another heavy scroll.::Could you please get Kantor to make sure Alberich comes to the salle for his dinner, but he doesn't have to know why.:: she asked, quickly making plans to have the kitchens send of both their meals that way.

******************* ******************* ***************** **************************

He had made up his mind to go into Haven to do a little reconnaissance that night. It had been the final day of the joint weaponry and equestrian lessons, and with the perturbed state of mind he was in regarding the last evening he felt more than ready to take out a little frustration in the appropriate place; much to the disapproval of his Companion. Yet, Kantor couldn't really say anything since he knew that Alberich was not going out and starting trouble; just that he was sure that it would find him.

So he was being agreeable with Kantor's suggestion that he return to his quarters to eat first. Also, in part because he was not looking forward to relying on what passed for food at some of the worst taverns he must visit to actually fill his belly. He tensed reflexively when he saw the stained glass window glow from within. Though the kitchen pages sometimes lit the fire in his common hearth to keep various soups and stews appropriately warm, that particular stained glass window was in his room and the only person who would be welcome there, enough to light the few lamps he had, was Myste.

::Another reason you had, for my being here tonight:: he thought at his Companion.

::She wanted to surprise you and I thought it couldn't hurt.::came the innocent reply

He slipped into his rooms behind the salle and saw the welcome and familiar sight of Myste curled up in one of the larger armchairs. No doubt she had meant to wait for him but she had fallen asleep, her glasses perched precariously on the tip of her nose.

He took a quick look at her and judged that she was still deeply asleep enough to go for a quick wash in the stall beside the salle that had a contraption holding rainwater and allowing it to warm in the sun until a pulled lever slucied it down a pipe. Of course in the rapidly cooling weather it was a cold bath at best, but he was in too much of a rush to get hot bath, and the cold one would clean him up just the same. Ignoring the savory odors that come from beneath the covered plates he took a change of clothes and a towel to wash up. When he returned rubbing the moisture from his hair she was still sleeping, which gave him a chance to study her in the firelight.

Though she was constantly saying how dumpy she was, he saw a perfectly petite woman with generous curves. He had noticed many other female heralds were built to be lithe and trim, but he had always appreciated women who looked decidedly different from men perhaps because they were so different; curves rather than angles. Stately beauties had, even in his youth when he had come across them, seemed rather untouchable, but the tavern maids who were generous in figure as well as earthy humor had been more engaging. Yet, even they had lacked a certain appeal, as he couldn't really talk to them; and this was in Karse where they had all spoken the same language.

Sitting across from her sleeping form with the fire crackling between them, the idea that he had never expected to find someone like her occurred to him. He have never really considered what he had wanted in the matter of family or his future. It had always struck him that it was something unwise to look too forward when everyday was spent navigating the dangers within the ranks as well as brigands. He had seen other officers with families, but very few made that choice, since they knew as well as anyone that family could be used against them by the sun priests as hostages if something went awry. He had never wanted hostages to his already precarious position. Seeing her shiver for a moment he rose momentarily to drape one of the woven blankets he kept in the common room over her.

Alberich didn't know that he had gotten over that secret fear. It had changed shape since his arrival and acceptance among the heralds, yet there was always the fear of loss that he had carefully kept in check most of his life by never allowing anything too close. Kantor had battered down those walls, but that had been ordained by a higher power. He was still torn about Myste, though he didn't know what he was to her, he felt a cold chill when he though of her near the front lines of any battle, despite the fact that the logical and duty oriented part of his mind accepted and approved that this was her right and duty as a fellow herald.

He didn't want to wake her, and just having her presence in the room seemed to make it more welcoming. He took a piece of bread and helped himself to the savory stew warming by the fire, eating slowly and thinking.

When he realized that Myste had fallen into a deeper sleep than she had probably intended he removed her glasses from the tip of her nose, and left the on the table before carrying her, blanket and all, into the bedroom and tucking her into the bed. She had murmured contentedly and burrowed into his chest as he carried her almost making him wake her or rethink going out into Haven. Nevertheless, after he had safely deposited her, he replaced his gray leathers with ordinary street clothing and an oilskin cape before making his way out the door, suddenly feeling less frustrated.

Myste woke up surrounded by the familiar scent of sandalwood and burrowed into the covers looking for another source of heat that usually accompanied waking to that smell. After a futile search lasting a few moments she opened her eyes and blinked at the early morning light shining through the stained glass panes of Sun-in-glory. In her state of having just awakened without the benefit of her glasses nearby she could just make out the blurry lines and the magnificent colors emanating from the window, but she was momentarily confused. This was Alberich's quarters, what had happened last night?

Falling back to the relative warmth of the covers she considered last night and remembered having finished the report on Elspeth's potential marriage prospects, feeling exhausted, but nevertheless determined to go through with her plans. She had ordered their meal to be sent to the salle and had brushed Aleirian and gone to bathe herself, then she had sat waiting for Alberich's return staring into the fire until she had felt her eyelids become too heavy to bear and had closed them for a moment. She then remembered feeling strong arms around her and responding to them in her sleep. But that was just it! She had continued to sleep! Alberich must have moved her to his bed and... She realized he must have gone out. What an idiot she was, she groaned and smothered a pillow up to her face mumbling something about the best laid plans being wasted upon those who didn't have enough willpower to keep from falling asleep.

She swung out of bed, and edged carefully about the room until she got to the washstand, where she freshened up a bit before heading to the door to the common room where her boots and no doubt glasses were. Half expecting Alberich to be in the common room she was oddly relieved when she found it did hold the articles she was looking for but not the herald himself. So he didn't spend the night on the cushioned bench at least, she thought to herself. It wasn't as if they had never shared his bed and she considered herself to be worldly enough, and Alberich to be practical enough, to share it without having had er...other activities preceding it.

::Aleirian?:: she queried mind to mind :: Is Kantor in the stables?::

::No chosen:: he said ::I believe Kantor left rather reluctantly last night. Out into Haven, but they should be returning soon. They usually do.::

::Oh bother I would wait for him, but Selenay asked me specifically to be ready to attend the morning Council meeting today, in lieu of Talia, and I need to be dressed for that:: she had made a mental checklist of the things she needed to do.

::I wish I could give that man a piece of my mind, not waking me:: she sighed, while knowing that what Alberich did he did out of duty. ::But I suppose we are all busy nowadays.::

Leaving the salle she noticed a basket beside the door that hadn't been there yesterday when she had come in. It held a bottle of wine, which when she looked a bit closer, appeared to be a very good vintage and had a note beside it.

The elaborate script seemed rather familiar and she bent to take a closer look at it before considering her actions. Her eyes immediately went to the signature scrawled to the bottom of a relatively short message, but when she saw who it was signed by, she immediately tore her eyes away and lost all interest in seeing the rest of the message.

_Bard Arissa_

Tall dark, beautiful Arissa. Myste had not known Arissa and Alberich were such good friends. She told herself that it had been none of her business to look at that note, and she would not, under any circumstances ask Alberich about it. She made more haste than she might have normally done, and suddenly all thoughts of waiting for Alberich seemed outlandish, considering her duties this morning. She went away making sure to take all of her belongings and leaving a note to the kitchen page to clear away the food that for the most part was left uneaten, since she suddenly had no appetite. Feeling a sudden tightness behind her eyes she firmly told herself it was simply the beginning of a migraine from sleeping too long.


	8. Chapter 8

Alberich came back to his rooms much later, or earlier considering the sun was almost up, than he was normally used to. He had spent the entire night tracking a lead that he had never expected to find. There was an increase of foreigners at Exile's Gate. Nothing that an untrained eye would notice, but to a trained eye like his the development was disturbing at the least. It was true that Valdemar welcomed all nationalities and its borders were open. Nevertheless, there were elements that even Valdemar did not want,various criminals and spies; unfortunately this element was the first to come and the last to leave when a relatively prosperous country had open borders. The foreigners were worryingly also mostly Hardornian. Passing off as merchants and laborers they had been found in the various taverns and alleys he had traversed. They spoke loudly in relatively unaccented Valdemarian, but Hulda had too. The heir's former nanny had disappeared before she could be brought to justice for essentially creating the Royal Brat and though the damage was being undone by the Queens Own it still rankled Alberich that they had not caught her, since he was sure there was more to her purpose than influencing a child, even though the charge was more sinister in that the child was next in line for the throne. All of his instincts cried out that there was some tie to members of Valdemar's own court, especially one Lord Orthallan, but he could not make any accusations without concrete proof.

Once it had appeared that the various members were going to meet at some point he had followed them as discreetly as possible, changing into various different guises throughout the night. When it became apparent that they were not going to meet that night he had followed a few of them to their homes or places of lodging, most of which had taverns beneath and had played the angry drunkard in once case to challenge one he had been following, just to see how far the man would go to avoid making a scene. Though the glint in his eye seemed dangerous, the man had actually paid for Alberich's drink which he was blamed for spilling and moved quietly away. This worried Alberich, there was apparently some reason that they were being careful to stay quiet. Having found out as much as he could he had caught an hour or two of sleep at one of his cubbyholes and had ridden through the early morning streets on Kantor who had emerged from wherever he had been keeping himself. Frustrated that he had not learned more, and because it seemed as though he would be going out to Haven more than he had anticipated he entered the salle, only to find the air of emptiness furthering his disappointment. He had rather hoped that Myste would still be there. His eyes scanned the room for any sign of her, but as always she had neatly erased all trace of herself, and even the dinner dishes from last night had been cleared away. He almost didn't notice the basket by the door, until the door caught on it. Normally suspicious of gifts left unattended by his door, he nudged it with his toe. It looked as though on of the pages had dropped it off. He could see it was a bottle of wine, pulling out the note he read.

_Herald Alberich, _

_Please accept my apologizes for partaking of that particularly delectable bottle of wine that you obviously meant for a different purpose the other night. As a gesture of contriteness I send this as a replacement, and hope you will succeed in using it for its intended purpose this time. _

_Bard Arissa_

He could almost see the all knowing smirk on her face on that night reiterated in that short note. To be sure it was a good natured one, but it drove home the fact that now at least one other person outside the heraldic Circle knew about him and Myste. Those damn bards and their penchant for seeing romance everywhere. Well he supposed one didn't get to be Master Bard nor Dean of one of the Collegia without having the mental acuity to see what was practically laid before you. The wine was afterall, a very good vintage. He promised himself that he would bring it by Myste's rooms once everything had settled.

Or better yet, he thought to himself, as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

"Like I was saying Herald Myste" continued Lodin. "If perhaps we could create a system of logging reports as they come in from the traveling bards. It would probably be more efficient. As you know, while part of a Herald's duty is to make a report on every assignment that they go on, Bards are by no means as consistent. Nor are they required to be" he finished with a sigh.

"Huh," muttered Myste, focusing only on the word 'consistent' "yes, consistency would be nice, but many heralds are not as consistent as you would think." committing a slight non sequitor which had her companion somewhat puzzled.

"I'm sorry" Lodin continued slowly, " I did not mean to suggest that I knew a great deal about Heralds, just what I know from going through the filing system you have created for the Heraldic Archives. The rotating border patrol and the assignments to the guard contingents at certain bases seem to indicate that there is a great deal more logged into the records by heralds than the archives I have been going through." he said almost in a tone of lament.

This snapped Myste out of the semi-reverie she had been in.

"Oh no, Master Lodin, you are right. It is part of protocol for us to record certain events, no matter how mundane. It is something all herald trainees learn during their time at the Colleigia. To be sure it makes for some rather dry reading at times, but more often than not even weather or changes in topography noted in these records do come in handy. I am sure bardic records have more, shall we say, flair." she concluded raising and eyebrow.

"Yes, of course 'flair'. Unfortunately, most of them are composed as though they were poetic verse, or worse, song composition. And while the information might be critical, the particulars are so vague, that going through some of them years after they happened, it is virtually impossible to tell in what exact time frame and conditions they occurred in." he continued in a vexed tone.

"I thought composition was your gift, Master Lodin" she queried feeling sympathetic to the man and was somewhat relieved to be drawn out from her musings by his question.

"It is" he said in a rather pained voice, that made her subdue a chuckle coming to the surface to spare his feelings, "which is why I can tell you that most of it is bad composition" he said with a rueful grin which belied his tone and brought an answering giggle from Myste.

"On that particular note, perhaps I should ask Dean Elcarth to include Composition and Documents lessons for bardic trainees too," she mused out loud. "Though most would likely stake me to a wall for suggesting it, you are right in that we must have consistently written records for Bardic Archives, if not consistently submitted ones."

"Oh yes. I am sure Maya will not be any happier taking one more class, but I must tell her that it is for her own benefit as well as those of following generations of bards. Considering most bardic trainees come into the archives for various assignments at one time or another, I am surprised that this task has been left for so long."

"The records are appalling in certain cases, as is the case with certain portions of the heraldic archives I assure you. For instance, if you've ever heard of Vanyel."

He interrupted her, "Vanyel! Who doesn't know that famous name. Demonsbane. Shadowstalker. Some of the most comprehensive records I have in Bardic are of him and his partner, Bard Stefen, of course. You don't mean to say that those records are missing in Heraldic?" Lodin asked with wonder.

"No, as you say the records are quite extensive. They had an elderly Court Chronicler during those days when the Colleigia wasn't as large and most of what is in Bardic Archives now are the songs and legends, but Heraldic got his more mundane reports. It is the period following his death and the gradual fading of 'real magic' from Valdemar where the facts become vague." This was a pet project of hers and for the next few hours she and Lodin discussed other ways to piece together the tantalizing scraps of archived material to explain what happened to change Valdemar so significantly from having herald-mages, such as Vanyel had been, to having heralds with various mindgifts. For some reason, this mystery had never met with a great audience even among the other heralds who almost universally knew one of the most daring and tragic tales that was to spring from their ranks. Yet, even her friends would lose interest or change the subject when she brought up the disappearance of herald-mages from Valdemar. Even Aleirian was reluctant to discuss it at length with her, only having let it slip once that her own dogged curiosity in the matter might have to do with her own personal gift of being able to see the truth in people without casting truthspell. She was still puzzling that one out.

It was late in the evening when she suggested that they go to the dining hall to eat while the food was still hot. Having skipped breakfast for the Council meeting and being too preoccupied with her own thoughts to each much of lunch, her stomach protested when she heard the supper bell. However, Lodin seemed reluctant, and politely said that she should go ahead without him, and that he would continue working as he was in the midst of a task. She noted that he had to stop to eat sometime too, and she would wait for him, when he sighed with resignation.

"That is very kind of you Herald Myste. However, if you do not mind, I would rather not eat in the dining hall while I am here."

"Why ever not?" she replied already guessing where this might lead to.

"You are too kind to say it, but how shall I say...I am somewhat accident prone, as you have no doubt noticed. It is normally okay when I am going about daily chores unless I let my mind drift, but when I am nervous or excited about certain things it is as though my coordination goes flying out the window. It is an unfortunate trait which followed me through my adolescence. The priest at the temple I was at used to say it would be a miracle if I made it to adulthood." he chuckled ruefully, showing that the sting had at some point gone out of those words.

"I am new here, as is my daughter. It is unfortunate that her relation to me was made so public in the early days of our arrival, with her powerful gift, but I imagine it cannot be easy to be in a new place with one's parent constantly causing and uproar and minor incidents in such public places, before one's school fellows." he said the last part in such a patient and matter-of-fact way that she turned sympathetic eyes upon him.

"Master Lodin, that is sheer nonsense." she chided gently. "Though I have not personally met Maya, she sounds to me like a girl whose maturity and sense of family exceed those petty considerations, not to mention that her judgment of friends would and should be better than that."

"My daughter is all that and more" he said fondly. "Nevertheless, she is also a young girl eager to fit in, I try not to make it harder on her than it has to be. Thankfully she was blessed with her mother's natural grace." he chuckled.

"Well if you insist, I also insist that you do not eat alone." she said preemptively stopping any objections, by saying. "What kind of taskmaster will I seem if I take a leisurely supper break and leave my assistant with is nose still to the grindstone." she said mock sternly. Besides, I wasn't all that looking forward to the hoard of younglings. Oh, it's fine most of the time, but occasionally one wants some quiet to digest." she said smiling and pulling on a cord that would call a page to the archives.

He smiled at her and nodded returning to his texts until the food arrived. She on the other hand had had a hard time returning to work once silence fell again. She kept her thoughts carefully shielded from her Companion, for within her mind's eye she kept seeing the lovely raven haired Master Bard stealing toward the salle. Bard Arissa was not what one considered a court beauty. Meaning she was not fair skinned with hair of a golden hue and eyes the color of jewels. However, she had a darker and more lasting beauty supported by the keen intelligence that sparkled beneath her coal black pupils. She was only older than Myste by two or three years, but she would never show her true age, her raven tresses still did not show a trace of gray.

Myste knew her from early on in her promotion to Archivist, for the bards were the ones constantly going though the archives of all three Colleigia. Arissa's sharp wit and easy way of carrying herself made it easy to like her. And now Myste couldn't bring herself to hate her even if what she thought was happening, indeed was.

Oh dear, she thought to herself, wasn't I just so grateful that I had left all this drama and potential heartbreak behind me with my youth. She tried to tell herself she was being foolish, if not for one reason than for another. However, even when the evening meal came she was rather silent and left the burden of conversation to Lodin, who spoke of his daughter and deceased wife.

"Melissa, wasn't trained at the Colleigia, but when she was pregnant with Maya she spoke of sending Maya there. She was so sure it was going to be a girl you see, we started calling her Maya even before she was born. I must admit I bumbled through the entire time, worrying about Melissa, about Maya, and even about the potential suitors my little girl would have, I don't think even I have had as many scrapes and bruises as I had during those days. It was a relief that Melissa was always so patient, graceful and competent." He laughed at himself and smiled at the memory.

She was still preoccupied but listening and it struck her how easily he spoke of his dead wife. How light his voice was, without bitterness or regret. Some of her expression must have registered this and he looked knowingly and took a deep breath as if to express something painfully personal.

"It wasn't always easy to speak of Melissa, like this, but Maya has so little of her mother to remember her by. I felt it would be cruel to take away even the memory. When I first lost her I was nearly mad with grief, then we arrived in Borgen it seemed worse when I tried to forget her." he finished simply.

She smiled at him, hoping that the gratitude of having been taken into his confidence was communicated. They ate in silence for awhile before he ventured to ask.

"So Herald Myste, if it is not too presumptuous to ask, how is it that you came to be such a scholar?"

"It's Myste please," she said and thought for a moment. "My parents were of the working class in Haven, and I have no siblings. My life was what you might call boring, before I was chosen by Aleirian"

"Aleirian is the name of your Companion?" he asked.

"Oh yes, if you like I will introduce you sometime. He is already very taken with you, you know. For being so available to take some of my workload from me, so I can go and brush his coat more often" she smiled feeling his unvoiced indignation in the corner of her mind.

"I know that Maya would, if you don't mind, and I must say that I too am intrigued. They are such beautiful, magical creatures."

"No of course not. I would love to meet your daughter and I will introduce the both of you to Aleirian."

she promised

"Now before I interrupted you so rudely" he said, gesturing for her to go on.

"Oh," she started, surprised that he showed an actual interest beyond politeness in her history, which was by far one of the more sedate among all the chosings she had heard or read about.

"Well, I was educated in a city temple, then my father took over my instruction. He was an accountant but he loved learning of all kinds. My mother was more pragmatic" she left her family life at that.

"I was working as a clerk when I saw a horse pass by my window, which was uncommon, since it looked out into a rather narrow alley. A horse could get through, but only just. At first, I didn't think much of it, but Aleirian assures me he had to make at least half a dozen passes to get me to look out. Finally, curiosity got the better of me, to see what kind of business a herald, for you see I could tell it was a Companion, had in that particular neighborhood. Well I got to the window and opened it so I could look out only to be scared witless by Aleirian shoving his head into my line of vision. And I was chosen." The simple last words belied the breathless and almost fascinated tone she used.

"Of course," she continued smiling "I told him succinctly that I couldn't just mount up then a there and ride off to the Palace. I still had duties that I had to finish in my old place of employment, and I was leaving them rather abruptly. So I finished my work, and then some, slipped quietly away, leaving a note to my employer that I had to leave for personal business and that he needn't pay me my due for that week."

"You didn't say that you had been chosen?" he asked dumbfounded.

"To be truthful, I didn't really believe it myself. Who ever heard of someone like me being Chosen? But Aleirian wanted me and I was ready to follow him to the ends of the earth." she finished.

"Your parents must have been very proud" he ventured.

"My father passed away by the time I was in my adolescence and my mother followed when I reached majority."

"I'm sorry" he said.

"I am too," she said somewhat to her surprise. "But they were older when they had me, and prepared me the best they could to make my way in the world."

"I can see that" he remarked. "I have never seen anything like what you have accomplished here."

He sounded sincere, but she could also tell he was trying to steer the conversation away from what he though she might feel uncomfortable talking about.

Yes, she occasionally felt the empty place where family should be in her life, but she had remarkably few regrets. Aleirian had a great deal to do with that, and the rest; well, her work was engaging and meaningful, and some in the Heraldic Circle were very much like family indeed.

Looking back now her childhood had been as happy as her parents could make it, yet, both being older than the parents of her peers they were more sedate and pragmatic. She had never felt right burdening them with more than they already had taking care of a young daughter.

Among her peers as she grew older she had become isolated. She could not bring herself to discuss hemlines or beauty secrets with the girls whose only concerns were finding a husband and held too little in the way of beauty or coquetry to interest the boys, save for that one time that adolescent longing had even overcome the innate sense of truth she had possessed even before she knew it was a heraldic gift.

"Myste?"

She came back with a start at the sound of her name.

"Er, yes?"

"You seemed as though you were a million miles away." he chuckled. " I suppose we are both somewhat tired. I know that I am. Perhaps we should call it a night, if you don't mind it is almost eight and I promised Maya I would come to her before she needed to retire."

"Oh yes" she said hurriedly. "I must have dozed with my eyes open" she said brightly clearing away the dishes from their meal. "Please go on Master Lodin, I have a few more duties I need to see to, and give my best to Maya. Be sure to ask her when she can take a break from those classes of hers and I will make sure to introduce her to Aleirian."

"We will be looking forward to it" said Lodin pointedly, and smiled at Myste who grinned back, realizing that he had employed her given name without any of the titles he had used so far.

::Aleirian, I know you were listening to at least part of that, you nosy horse::

::Hmph, I merely heard my name being mention and naturally assumed I was wanted. If someone hadn't been closed off in their own thoughts for most of the day I wouldn't have had to pry::

::Those thoughts are exactly that, my own, thank you. But it was well that you heard anyway. You don't mind a quick meet and greet with Lodin's daughter Maya would you?

::Of course not. Bring them out when you come and spend time with me.::

When she thanked him and said she would tell Lodin, Aleirian continued tentatively,

::Chosen, is something else on your mind?::

::No:: she said perhaps a trifle quickly, then amended with :: I was just getting maudlin about the past, and feeling very lucky that you came by and saved me from my life.::

::No Chosen, we saved each other:: he answered solemnly.

::Goodnight dearheart:: she said ::I think I will try and get a good nights sleep.

As she was lying in the darkened room, in her own bed, the image of Arissa came unbidden and the part of her that had been dormant for so long, the part that suggested slyly whether Arissa wouldn't make a better match for Alberich began to whisper in her mind.

This is ridiculous, she thought to herself, it's not as though I read a love letter just a note. I was just startled since I didn't know they were so well acquainted. She tried being indignant at herself for acting like a foolish goose-girl who cried about the broken eggs that hadn't yet been laid by her geese. Nevertheless, old memories came crowding, unbidden, yet relentless into that small space of doubt that had opened in her heart.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Myste ran into Lodin in the dining hall and confirmed that his daughter would be delighted to meet a Companion personally. So they decided that the hour after noon bell which was when many of the trainees had a free hour they would meet at Companion's Field.

Having slept badly the night before, Myste nevertheless threw herself into her work, if only as a way to avoid thinking about Alberich. Aleirian had gently tried to coax what was bothering her into the light, but she had evaded his gentle prodding with a silence he had come to realize was the foundation of his Chosen's stubbornness.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Aleirian, who else could she trust if not him afterall. Nevertheless, she was still annoyed at herself for caring this much over something so trivial. Yet, whispered the cruel voice in her mind, what more is between you and the weapons-master than a few trysts and some pleasant conversation? She knew they both realized that this wasn't a lifebond. Nor were 'arrangements' such as theirs uncommon among the heralds. After all they were not chaste priests and priestesses, and in the line of duty most had experienced the rush of adrenaline and the desire that had followed. Not that heralds were half as hedonistic as the court and certain rumors would have it, but the fact was that they were human. Many of her fellows having faced the reality that their duty came before any relationships were willing to expand the boundaries of friendship so long as no one was hurt.

She was a mature, worldly woman, wasn't she? She had never pushed Alberich to define the boundaries of their own partnership, but had just accepted what came naturally. She would not push him now. How could she when she did not know herself what she wanted? What more could there be between heralds that were not lifebonded? She knew that was only part of the reason, the other part was that she was truly afraid of what he might say if she confronted him, and how foolish it would make her seem.

She valiantly pushed these thoughts aside and worked throughout the morning, sighing in relief when she heard the noon bells. Not feeling very hungry, her stomach was still in knots, she thought a trip to see Aleirian before introducing him to her new friends might be in order.

"Beloved?" she mind sent. "Would you mind some company before I paraded you before a captive audience?" she teased.

"You, always" came the prompt reply. "As for captive audience. I can hardly imagine lil' old me, is going to hold anyone 'captive' for long." he said with mock humility.

"Oh, you gloriously vain creature, you know very well, that you are beautiful to look at. Lodin and his daughter should just be glad they can't hear you." she mock scolded in turn, her face breaking into a smile that relaxed the muscles set in concentration.

On her way to Companion's Stables she purloined a few apples, both for herself and Aleirian, though she doubted the stallion would share once she had revealed what she was carrying.

It turned out that she didn't need to go all the way to the stables, since Aleirian had come to meet her by the low fence separating Companion's Field from the Old Palace and he wasn't alone; beside him stood what was unmistakeably another Companion. Even from a distance, she could tell who this Companion was, standing only slightly taller than Aleirian he was built almost like a draft horse, if a Companion could ever be compared to something so mundane. Though Aleirian was a Stallion he had the sleek strength and build of most Companions, yet the Companion beside him was thicker of neck and haunch, from that she made a shrewd guess as to who it could be, which made her slow down imperceptibly as she went to greet her Companion.

Deciding it was only coincidence and her own conscience getting the better of her, she plastered a smile on her face and strode the last few steps saying,

"'Rian, I'm sure you've been talking Kantor's ear off. I suppose it is my duty as your Chosen to offer him a reward for standing in my stead?" She reached into the small pouch she always carried and pulled out two apples offering one to each Companion who ambled over to her.

She gently butted her forehead against Aleirian's cheek in greeting before giving him an apple and held out the other apple to Kantor who gently took it from her hand and brushed his soft muzzle along her palm in a gesture of thanks.

::Beloved, Kantor was just keeping me company while I waited for you. It is a lovely day to be outside:: Aleirian said a bit wistfully, neatly finishing his apple.

"I suppose that is a not so subtle order for me to come riding with you." she smiled. "Well I have been behind a desk too long. Let me get a softsaddle and we'll go for a quick ride before we have to meet Lodin and Maya."

Kantor stood and looked at them. Though he never spoke directly to her she had always gotten the impression that he had somehow approved of her. Kantor was like his Chosen in many ways, he stood apart the majority of the Companions not only because of his physical build, which rivaled that of the Grove-born Rolan, but because he had a stoic nature which made him stand out from the majority of Companions who could at times be mistaken for fishwives, she thought ruefully, with their love of gossip and social natures. Kantor held himself apart because he was as introspective as his Chosen and preferred action to idle chatter.

When she looked back at him, she got the impression that he almost knew in part what she was thinking. He bobbed his head down briefly and turned to trot further into Companion's Field, leaving Myste and Aleirian standing in his wake.

::You know he enjoys a fair amount of gossip too:: Alerian nosed her shoulder and interjected into her thoughts.

:I'm sure he does:: she harumphed. ::Fishwives, all of you:: and walked beside him to the stables.

After spending another night stalking his prey at Exile' Gate, Alberich was tired. Tired and frustrated. It did not add up. The foreigners were going about their lives in a normal fashion that made him doubt that there was anything even going on. That is until they would do something as innocuous as leaving a package or parcel at a particular store or tavern only to pick it up a few candlemarks later. He couldn't get close enough to investigate. He had even considered forcefully taking the package under one of his guises, but that would tip the conspirators that someone was watching and make them more wary.

Now he was back in the salle yard and the only indication of his late nights was a deeper crease between his eyes and a stern expression that further put the trainees on their toes.

"Garan," he barked. "Elbow in! Not dancing this be!"

To his credit the student continued without as much as a pause and corrected his stance as he went. This was his advanced class, and though he still kept a sharp eye out for any improvements that were needed, he also trusted these students to know the importance practice.

"Switch partners" he barked and watched as the fluid exchange happened before him, and one student in each pairing shifted right. He watched them complete their drills and set them to target practice, and at the end of the session he still found himself pondering the quandary of his alter ego, even as he culled out the pieces of armor and padding from the rack that needed to be replaced.

::Chosen, you must eat:: Kantor's voice noted, and Alberich could vaguely feel he was hungry, realizing that the noonbells had already rung. He made his way to the oven that kept the salle warm during the colder months, and also served as a place to keep foodstuff warm. Like now, when he had put together the ingredients for a basic pease porridge together in a pot the night before, he now found a perfectly stewed porridge for his noon meal. To be sure, it was not the same as the fare he could order from the kitchens, but at times with his erratic schedule he could not always be bothered to make the trek to the kitchens or even order something to be brought to him. He now sat and ate, thinking and sharing his thoughts with Kantor.

::Find, I must, a way to see what they are planning:: he stated.

::Chosen, perhaps it is time to bring in some reinforcements. You cannot be in all places at once.:: counseled his Companion.

Alberich sighed. Though he had used Keren and Myste before, and had trained Skif since, he did not like putting others at risk when the playing field was as yet still unknown. If it were a mission with more purpose and boundaries that he could set, such as a known opponent he would feel more comfortable.

Yet he could feel in his gut that this was important. His still erratic gift of foresight had not given him any misgivings but he relied on it far less than his skills of observation.

::I know not yet. However, benefit I would from some counsel.:: He conceded thinking of Myste. He was surprised at how much he wanted to talk this over with her. She had a sound mind and could tell him if his observations merited further action.

::If it is Herald Myste you seek. I believe she is occupied in Companion's Field:: Kantor said cryptically.

Alberich didn't bother to reply. Since if Myste was at Companion's Field she must be visiting with Aleirian, and if he could steal her away they could talk or make plans to talk. He found himself already rising and striding across the practice floor and out the door. His turbulent thoughts were somewhat mollified for the first time in a fortnight when he considered the possibilities of spending some quality time with Myste.

Perhaps they could go on a ride deeper into Companion's Field. Most of the students were finishing their noon meal and would take their study hour, so the Field was open to the older heralds. He strode quickly across the expanse of Companion's Field that was beside the salle, toward the stables, which was where he thought he would find Myste. He heard laughter from somewhere and dismissed it as a few of the students spending their free hour with their Companions rather than at their studies. However, once he cleared a line of trees and brush that had obscured his view he saw a Companion that could only be Aleirian with a small dark girl on his back and Myste standing beside Lodin laughing at her Companions's antics as he made exaggerated parade step gestures.

Just at the edge of the trees he stopped before coming into view. Before he could think of why his body stopped mid stride and pulled back before emerging from behind the brush. The girl was not doubt Lodin's daughter, the bardic student, he had yet to have her in his salle but she too would join once her teachers felt she had adjusted to the rest of her classes.

He wasn't hiding precisely, if the small party would look in his direction they could see him, but he hesitated before making his presence known. He almost felt as if his intrusion would cast a shadow upon the revelry. When was the last time he had heard Myste laugh in that way. The thought made him pause, and before he could continue he heard another voice behind him.

"Herald Alberich, I didn't expect to find you here."

_***Sorry for the late update, computer issues. Thank you to those that have left reviews, I really appreciate it.*** _


	10. Chapter 10

"Dean Arissa" he acknowledged, refusing to show surprise though he had not noticed presence. She had probably come from the path on the other side of the building that led straight to Bardic.

Another peal of laughter, this time from a younger voice made Arissa look over his shoulder.

"Oh, I see." She smiled cryptically. "I needed to speak to Master Lodin and Myste, and I was told Maya was spending her free hour with her father out here, but it seems I can kill two birds with one stone."

Somehow the unsettling feeling that he had been caught doing something foolish, such as he hadn't felt since he was a very young boy, came upon Alberich.

"Well then, let me not keep you" he said politely nodding and making to move off down the path he had come.

"No, no" she said reaching out and snagging his arm as he tried to make a hasty retreat. "It is nothing private, and you seemed to have some business in this direction too, I take it?" she said with a slightly arched eyebrow. Gently she pushed him ahead of her, and continued speaking.

"As a matter of fact, perhaps I can get the proverbial three birds in this one trip. Maya needs to be placing into one of your classes. I would have you present so that perhaps I can introduce you to the girl who is what you might say nervous considering the reputation that precedes you Arms-master Alberich. She have pushed and half herded him back in the direction he had been headed, and he let her considering he could not think of a reason not to go, given all of her reasons that he should be there.

At a loss for something to cover his own slight awkwardness he remembered the gift she had sent and while not looking at her directly, he said gruffly. "My thanks for your gift. A fine vintage it is, though begrudge you not my own shared among comrades."

There was a moment of startled silence on her part and she broke out in a peal of laughter, that she had muffled with the back of her fist when he turned back to stare at her in surprise.

"Oh dear, I did not mean to laugh, but there was no need to thank me so formally for a small gift." she added, "the bottle you shared was one that was particularly fine, and I had the feeling you had intended it for a different purpose" she said mysteriously and smiled as she walked past him now waving at the small party on the side of the field who had looked up at their approach.

Alberich just stared after her wondering if there was any real way to keep a bard from meddling.

Myste's heart contracted when she looked up at the peal of laughter and found Bard Arissa and Alberich emerging from the small footpath covered by small trees and brush. Arissa had murmured something to Alberich and walked ahead toward them waving, and the way that Alberich had gazed at after her gave it another twist for good measure.

It was such a contrast to the moment before when she had been laughing over the antics of her Companion with Lodin and his daughter. Maya was a delightful girl, bright and quick she had displayed a great deal of manners, and had brought a small pouch of sugar lumps with her for this meeting, which meant of course she had instantly won Aleirian's wholehearted adoration. No matter how mature she had tried to act, the sheer beauty and wonder of a Companion being so near had brought out the child in her and she had held out the sugar lumps in her slender hands one by one as Aleirian whuffed them up, nosing his muzzle in her hair and tickling her in between treats. She giggled and talked to him, as Myste relayed the casual running commentary the Aleirian was making. When her Companion had suggested that Maya be lifted up for a ride, the child and looked positively star-struck. Smiling Myste had asked if Maya had wanted to and the poor overwhelmed girl had stammered.

"But Mistress Herald, I- I don't know how to ride." and then in a whisper so filled with longing it almost made Myste tear up she said, "but if I could maybe just sit up on him?"

She had firmly and cheerfully said "Nonsense, we'll put you in the saddle and Aleirian won't let you fall off. Not if he wants any more treats he won't" she finished archly, and her Companion had made an oddly human sounded snorting noise. "Besides, he is entirely too pampered and doesn't get nearly enough exercise, because I mostly spend my time with a nose in a book, so he can use all the exercise he can get" she insisted.

So Maya was summarily lifted into Aleirian's saddle by her father and both Myste and he got to see the the girls dark eyes grow round with wonder and roses come into her cheeks.

::Keep it up Chosen, and I may trade you in for a newer model:: teased Aleirian :: I think her rosy coloring really brings out the whiteness of my coat:: he made a show of exaggerated preening, and Myste burst out laughing, much to the confusion of Lodin. However, she could have been standing on her head juggling and Maya probably would not have noticed since she had an enthralled look upon her face as she gently patted the mane before her.

Lodin smiled and said ruefully. "I admit I like to see my daughter happy as any father would, but I don't see a way of getting her her own Companion."

"Oh," she said in modulated tones, "it is part hero worship and the fact that he is rather shiny. A few more moonturns at the Collegia and she will see them for what they are. Basically eating machines who get into a fair amount of trouble alongside the more younger chosen."

::I can still hear you:: thought Aleirian indignantly.

:: And what, pray tell, was incorrect in my estimation, oh shining one?:: she teased back.

Aleirian didn't deign to answer and just tossed his mane back and continued what could only be called a 'prance' in the grass and sunlight, mindful of the small overawed girl on his back who barely remembered to grasp the pommel.

"Thank you for this, Myste" said Lodin, his eyes still fixed on his daughter.

"It is my pleasure" she said lightly.

"She forgets sometimes, how young she is. It has been a while since she has been able to act her age." he said with a note of regret in his voice.

She looked up at him thoughtfully. "Ma...er...Lodin" she said extending the same informality that he had granted her, "who is to say when one stops being a child and starts becoming an adult? Maya is not unlike many of the herald trainees, or any of the other students in all the three Colleigia for that matter. They all come to us with unique gifts that oftentimes leaves them ostracized among those outside these walls. True they may grow up faster than the younglings that come from ideal families, yet I wonder how many of those families really exist outside of wishful thinking. Whatever their story is, who they are brings them here, and makes them who they are going to be. That can't be all bad." she said reflectively.

"Wisdom that could only be expected from one who has learned from history. I stand chastised" he said ruefully.

"Oh, not so much wisdom as the force of repeated hearing. Young or old heralds for the most part are peculiar; save for me of course I was very mundane. For that reason alone Aleirian had to practically pound it into my head that we all belong here because the things that brought us here make us who we are. Even if like me, your story could bore a man to tears." The last part held too much raw truth to be comfortable, and she quickly added on, "Of course, Bardic and Healers are the same way. Many of the Healer trainees are almost too serious regardless of their age. Bardic students, only seem to be the most carefree out of the three Colleigia, but they are charged with taking the reality that they see everyday and making it palatable for the consumption of the masses."

Lodin seemed to be thinking of this carefully, so Myste continued.

"And trust me, it may just be because she hasn't had this number of younglings her age near her. I can vouch for the fact that trainees from all three Colleigia get into as much mischief as any 'normal' youngster, and much more considering their talents." she finished with a much suffering sigh.

At that she noted a movement beyond Lodin and had moved a little to see Arissa and Alberich emerge from the side of Companion's Field leading to Bardic.

Lodin was saying something, and she answered mechanically as they neared. Quickly she chasted herself for acting so strange, and lifted up weak hand in greeting.

"Ah, Myste, Master Lodin" beamed Arissa, "just the two that I wanted to see. I was hoping Master Lodin would be here, but finding you here Myste saves me a trip. I have also managed to bring the Arms-master along so we should be able to have a productive meeting. First off, your suggestion that the Bardic trainees receive the same report composition lessons as heralds was passed without much comment Master Lodin, after all it is not as though those on the council will themselves have to be schooled again." she commented wryly.

There are a few more reports on my desk as we speak that need to go into the archives, many Master Bards have returned from yearlong journeys of collecting material. This is where I need your help Myste. We need to divide the archive into files that the students can access by level. I need your help." she finished simply, finishing just as Alberich caught up to them.

Myste looked over at Alberich quickly and noted that the faint crease between his brows was more pronounced and his eyes had deep shadows beneath them. Alberich nodded at Lodin and met Myste's eyes for a moment as Arissa continued.

"I felt Arms-master Alberich would benefit from joining this discussion because I know Trainee Maya needs to be placed in weapons training" she said emphatically looking pointedly at Lodin, as if she thought he would jump to disagree.

Lodin just held up his hands and gestured placatingly. "Madam Arissa, I have no objection to Maya learning to protect herself. A few years on the road makes me think it is an excellent idea, I am not quite sure why she has been reluctant so far, since she is fairly coordinated, unlike her father, and many of her year mates seem to be in training."

"That precisely the problem is" spoke up Alberich rather gruffly.

"What the arms-master is trying to say is that her yearmates may be filling her head with stories of the various tortures they must withstand at the hands of their master." Arissa said dryly. "Much exaggerated I assure you. So I felt it might be well to introduce Maya to Alberich away from the others, in an environment she is comfortable with."

Aleirian had brought Maya over in answer to Myste's unspoken request, and the small girl look with slight trepidation at the studden cluster of adults, where before there had only been her father and one herald. Recognizing Bard Arissa's robes as she got closer she seemed a bit more relieved, but when her eyes moved to Alberich, who was clad again all in the mottled gray of his choosing her eyes grew big.

Lodin stepped forward and lifted her out of the saddle and placed her gently on her feet. Aleirian nosed her from behind encouragingly and she stepped forward curtsying slightly toward the dean of her Colleigia and the heretofore unmet arms-master, and ducked her head down.

"Dear me, the child looks as though we had come to clap her in chains" said Arissa in a mildly bemused tone. "Don't look so, child. This is HERALD Alberich. He will be teaching you how to protect yourself."

Alberich meanwhile, had silently called Kantor to him. His scarred face and stern expression might have been an indispensable tool in drilling the older students and guards, but he did not use intimidation tactics on the very young and frightened, such as the one before him. If she could be charmed by Aleirian, then Kantor would do a great deal to ease this introduction. No doubt she had heard and earful from her classmates, but much of that was fueled by the youngsters penchants for exaggeration and gossip. Nevertheless, Alberich relaxed his features into that of harmless curiosity and took a few steps forward as Kantor appeared beside him.

Maya's eyes grew round at the appearance of another Companion and Alberich spoke.

"Kantor, my Companion, this be. Perhaps not quite as amusing as Aleirian, he may be." he said with a quirk to his mouth.

"Oh, sir." Came the breathy voice of the youngster "he's beautiful."

Kantor ambled forward and nosed her outstretched hand in greeting.

"Now, Maya, Bardic trainee. You have not yet to my salle been." he stated gently, as more of a statement than anything else.

She faltered a bit. "No sir, you see," he voice came down to a whisper, "I don't think I would be very good at that."

The other adults having seen that Alberich had begun talking to Maya had moved off to the side and begun discussing the matter which Arissa had tracked them down for.

"What kinds of weapons-training have you?" he prodded gently.

"None, sir. I-I ...that's why..." she faltered.

"Then all the better, as bad habits you will not have to unlearn." he replied noticing how she kept a hand firmly on Kantor's outstretched neck as they walked a bit.

Then as if gathering herself up for a great outburst she said all at once.

"Oh but sir, I don't want to learn how to hurt people. What if I am no good, and I hurt someone during practice? And the others tell me it is ever so hard, and that you ….you hit them, when they don't do well."

Alberich had expected something along those lines, but he tried to look as if he were considering her words carefully.

"The purpose of what I teach is not to give hurt." he stated thoughtfully, "but it is sometimes a consequence. Protect would you not, those you love, from bandits and those who seek to hurt? Learning weaponry be like honing a tool. Ready it is for use, but when and why to use it only you know."

"Oh,"Maya said after a long moment of consideration, then "but will it hurt a lot to learn?"

He looked down at her wryly. "The blows I give correspond to the thickness of skulls. It does not seem as though you are very thick skulled. Know this, Maya, bardic trainee, should you decide to train with me, hard but fair I shall be. Not a place of anger and violence, but a place of concentration and practice the salle be."

"I sounds like music." the small girl reflected quietly.

Alberich merely arched a brow and glanced at her.

"Well we need to concentrate and practice in my other classes too" she explained. "Sometimes when we go into a trance we play until we are stiff or our fingers bleed. I've see some students do it."

"Pain is sometimes the price paid for learning." Alberich said confirming her forming conclusions.

She glanced shyly up at him. "If you don't mind, Arms-master, may I come and look at the classes tomorrow?"

"That you may" said Alberich gravely.

Turning to Kantor she said just a gravely. "I'm very sorry I don't have any more treats for you, Aleirian ate them all." Kantor snorted. "but I'll be sure to bring some next time." She glanced questioningly at Alberich who understood her unspoken question.

"Kantor be in Companion's Field mostly. Your company he would enjoy and will find when you have time between your studies."

With one last pat on Kantor's nose and a bow to Alberich, she ran back to where her father was waiting, seeming a little more at ease.

Apparently the three had finished their consultations and Lodin and Arissa were turning back toward Bardic with Maya between them. Myste stood beside Aleirian with her hand on his neck while he made his way over to them.


	11. Chapter 11

Myste had found it difficult to concentrate on what Arissa had been saying, but she doggedly refused to show her discomfiture before Lodin or Arissa. Something to do with new Bardic Reports.

::Isn't this why Lodin had been assigned to help:: she thought somewhat irritably. Then she caught herself. This was her job, her duty as herald, as it was the duty of others like her to serve as arrows of the Queen. She must do her duty no matter what. Even in the face of personal loss. As soon as the issue had been decided upon she had been somewhat relieved to turn to follow Lodin and Myste, but Aleirian had stopped her.

::Chosen, Kantor tells me that Alberich wishes to speak with you::

She excused herself from the others and slowly walked back toward Aleirian. Reaching him she leaned into his shoulder and buried her hand in his warm mane. Trying not to think too much. Trying not to say the words that resurfaced from her past. Words she had once said in the heat of adolescence and infatuation, only to be repaid with scorn and humiliation.

"Choose me..."she whispered into Aleirian's shoulder, too quietly for anyone to hear. But Aleirian could hear it through their bond. And though he knew part of the story that was the foolishness of her youth and that those whispered words were not precisely meant for him he mindspoke back.

::Always dearheart, always.::

That along with the wave of love and acceptance it brought washed over her and heartened her so that she could look up to see Alberich approach. He approached purposefully, and she quickly plastered a look of calm on her face.

"Myste, I would ask your counsel." he said immediately.

::At least he still seeks me out for my opinion:: she thought trying to be optimistic.

She assumed an air of waiting for him to continue and he gestured that they walk, much like he and Maya had just done, with their Companion's trailing behind them.

A moment of silence as they both organized their thoughts and Alberich switched easily to Karsite, as he often did when conversing only with her.

"There is trouble in Exile's Gate." he stated shortly. "Foreigners, mostly Hardornian from what I can tell, are gathering. For what purpose, I cannot be sure. Yet, I feel that this bears further inquiry."

This bit of unexpected news startled Myste out from her own thoughts.

"How long?"

"It have been more obvious these past four days. They are leaving packages at the seedier taverns and pawnshops then picking them up. I suspect they are smuggling information out of Haven but I cannot infiltrate." He sounded frustrated and tired. She looked up at his profile with concern. The hawklike features and the stern furrows were more evident.

"You need help" she stated simply. He stopped short and did not look at her for a moment, so she continued. "Skif has been sent out on assignment again, besides his particular skills wouldn't have helped you here. You need someone who can infiltrate. I can do that."

He seemed relieved. "I would not ask it of you, Myste, had it not been necessary."

"I know, Alberich." she said impulsively reaching up in a motion that skimmed his furrowed brow, as if she would smooth out the creases there. "But it my duty as much as it is yours."

He stilled beneath her gesture and almost reached out for her, but the weary smile on her face was in sharp contrast to the carefree laughter that he had heard from her not a candlemark ago. I can only offer her more duty, he thought, because of what I am I can only remind her what she must be, regardless if it comes at the price of her own happiness.

Myste felt him pause and withdrew her hand self consciously. She walked on a little ahead and began to talk of the practical.

"Should we go tonight? Or do you have a plan?"

Finding his voice again he said. "They usually make the drop off at the end of each sennight. Tomorrow night will be fine."

"Then I will scrounge up some of my plainstuff dresses and look the part of a clerk" she said brightly. "You will show me where I need to be and I can snoop to my hearts content."

"Myste" he began, but before he could continue she said brightly, "Get some rest tonight Alberich. We are going to have a busy schedule before us. I will use the rest of tonight to organize my work here so that Lodin can take over some duties, and I will be at your disposal." Then in a slightly softer tone she said, "you don't look well. You are one man Alberich, I wish you would ask more freely for the aid that your friends would give freely." with that she turned a walked away.

The way he had seemed to pull away from her impulsive touch had made for an awkward moment. Yet she still could not help but worry about him. He was a a man who would drive himself in a relentless manner until collapse. Even among the notoriously dutybound hearlds he seemed especially so, as he equated his honor with duty and held fast to it with a tenacity that had helped him overcome the burden of having to leave his homeland behind.

Myste hated the way self doubt made her pull away from Alberich. She knew before Aleirian came up behind her that he had.

::Beloved:: he said gently :: you judge his honor so highly, yet you doubt him when it comes to his regard for you::

::That has nothing to do with his honor :: she retorted ::We have made no promises, he holds no vows to me, and I would have it no other way::

::He isn't the callous youth whom you had the misfortune to encounter in the past, Chosen. More importantly you are not the same girl.::

"Rian" she murmured against his mane, her hand with the currycomb stilling for a moment. ::It is just that I fear, I may react as badly as I did then, if he is indeed choosing another.::

::And if he is not.:: her Companion continued staunchly, nudging her shoulder with his soft nose, ::then you will have been fretting for nothing.::

::Arissa, is very beautiful.:: she continued hesitantly.

::She may be, yet is she any more beautiful than some of the other female heralds?:: he argued ::Besides, I don't see small children running screaming away from you, love.:: he teased then continued in a gentler tone. ::You are my Chosen because I needed you to be just as you are, Myste. What you consider to be lacking is mostly in your own estimation. You are what he needs, Myste. ::

::If only I could be sure.:: she said simply continuing to brush his coat out.

Alberich paced the length of his room for the better part of the night. He knew he had to make use of Myste's help in his endeavor yet he was not completely comfortable with the idea. Since her status as a herald was not know in Haven, especially among her former acquaintances, she could get work at those places of business that needed a clerk or an accountant.

Unbidden the image of Myste laughing in the sunlight that afternoon came to him. ::Only shadows it is that I can offer::

::She is a fellow herald and would not thank you for shielding her from her duty:: came the staunch reply of his mind-mate.

::Right you were. Offer I cannot marriage and family.::

::Do you know if Myste wants what you are so sure you cannot give?:: came the grave reply.

When Alberich remained silent the Companion continued. :: Do not sell Myste, or yourself for that matter, for less than your worth. She is a intelligent woman who knows and, for all extents and purposes, seems relieved that you both do not share a life bond.::

"Perhaps right you are." said Alberich, sighing. He would be the first to acknowledge that he lacked experience or wisdom when it came to matters of the heart.


	12. Chapter 12

Despite the fact that, in all the time she had been a herald, Myste had rarely seen or been required to prepare for field duty, she was a meticulous planner of the things she would need. As a matter of fact, the Dean of the herald's Collegium had recognized this ability early on in her trainee days and had utilized her skill in preparing and packing by having her help the head housekeeper plan out the kits for new heralds going out in the field. She often thought it was an ironic twist of fate that she should be so good at anticipating situations that she was so obviously not designed to face. However, with her usual wry humor had felt that it was thankful that she had something to contribute even as a trainee, as she was starting this herald business so late in the game.

She applied the same skills in planning what she would need to help Alberich down in the seedier parts of Haven. Having helped in a similar situation she thought she would need to be staying in Haven for an unspecified amount of time, and she would not be able to go back and forth from the palace. So she prepared accordingly. More like she threw herself to the task of preparing for all possible eventualities, so that she would have to think about how he had pulled away from her, when she had reached out to touch him.

::I need to have Lodin take over some of my duties, the ones that won't wait, and where did that dratted chest will all my plainstuff clothes get to? If he's already chosen Arissa there is no help for it, you won't let it get in the way of doing your duty.:: At the final thought she dropped the stack of paper she had been holding in exasperation and threw up her hands. Alerian was strangely quiet in her mind, still there as a reassuring presence, but almost as if he were attempting to turn a deaf ear.

She came to the conclusion that he was just as exasperated with her thoughts running in circles and had decided to leave her to sort things out on her own. In an effort to do so, she firmly told herself that thinking about something she could not influence or change was not helping her with the task at hand, and set herself to packing once again.

Alberich was a patient man. As a career soldier, it was important to take action, but even more important was knowing when to take action. So for the next few days he made his rounds to each of the low to middle class taverns near Exile's Gate, gathering what information he could. Admittedly he threw himself even more into his alternate persona even going so far as to get into not a few scuffs in the streets and taverns of Haven's more undesirable districts, much to the unease of Kantor. He was taking mental solace in doing his job, it was just unfortunate that his body was taking more of a beating than it necessarily had to.

He still felt uneasy at the thought that he had asked Myste for her help, as it was no doubt putting her straight in the path of any potential danger. One part of him knew for a fact that she would not thank him for his surge of over protectiveness, and also knew that she had her ways of protecting herself, not in the least by using that formidable mind of hers. Nevertheless, as her weapons-master, he also knew that Myste was only just as proficient at swordplay as the one of the better trainees, and even that was handicapped by her nearsightedness and odd lack of coordination when not maneuvering between stacks of scrolls and books.

Now as he sat with a tepid stein of sour beer cradled in his hands and his twisted cap pulled low over his face he felt free to cringe a bit while he remembered one of their private sparing sessions, where he had tried to teach her more unconventional methods of defending herself.

After about two weeks of sparing in a more or less conventional manner she had suddenly pulled off her specially designed helm, brushing the sweat soaked hair out of her eyes and said frankly. "I would say this is a pointless exercise no? I hardly cut a very dashing figure whirling about with a sword in hand."

Having met his most challenging student as to date, Alberich retorted sharply "Dashing I ask not, pointless it is not, if stops your opponent from skewering you to the spot."

"Well then teach me something different. Do I look like the average herald?" she had said matter of factly.

It was then that he had really looked at her, and had seen that she was willing, even eager to learn, but he had been trying to fit a glove to a foot. And he had admired her, though he had not realized it until much later. He had seen fellow soldiers overreach and as an officer in the Karsite army he had seem many more try for what they were not suited to do, which was gratifying when the luck of the Vkrandis Sunlord was with them, but disastrous for more them themselves, usually, when it wasn't. He had met very few who truly knew themselves and their limits, and were still willing to go on and find ways around them. So he had taught her and she had learned; that is all the dirty fighting tricks he had picked up starting from child-hood, anything that he though he could adapt to her smaller stature and slower reflexes he passed onto her and she had learned with amazing speed. And in the meantime he had grown accustomed to her witty banter and insightful comments; slowly growing to respect her and like her, and then something more.

Now would his feelings get in the way of his duty? He drew a sharp breath at the thought. His duty and honor, which had been the foundation he had set his life by since losing land, and people?

Despite the disapproval he felt along their link when he had gotten into scuffles, Kantor had been unusually silent in his mind during this particular foray into the slums of Haven. As the Companions were too conspicuous in this area, Kantor had conveniently taken himself to a place only he knew where he had assured Alberich that he would be ready to come at a moment's notice. However, this was the newest ,yet most poorly constructed and planned part of Haven and many of the streets were not built for a horse to get through save for the main thoroughfares leading through to the better areas. He knew this made his Companion nervous, despite the assurance.

Shifting slightly in his seat he hunched over more and ducked his head to seem to be taking a draught of his drink; however, only letting the vile liquid graze his lips. The tapmaster gave him a dirty look, since by all outer appearances Alberich was nursing his beer and taking up space that another heavier drinker could be occupying. However, this particular persona had gotten into a fight in this establishment once and the tavernmaster knew better than to provoke him unnecessarily. When his keen ears picked up an interesting tidbit of conversation in the far corner to his right he made sure that his body language did not indicate he had heard anything. The three men in the corner were whispering, but what caught Alberich's ears more were the foreign lilt to the furious whispers that made it sound almost as though they were hissing at one another. Only another foreigner could recognize the almost pained effort it took to master Valdamaran with a practiced ease, something that he still had trouble with when under duress or in a hurry.

"...must act now..."

"information... has no opening...

"...most vunerable now. …..never get the chance again"

These snatches of heated whispers he caught did not bode well. He would need to get closer, but not in the guise of the disgruntled laborer he was he now. These men were meeting in a low noisy tavern, but their clothes did not indicate that they did heavy labor for their bread. He quietly slipped out and made for one of his cubby holes where he changed his posture and clothing to that of a sell sword. When he slipped back into the same tavern he ordered another dinner that he didn't particularly want the men where still there sitting silently, but the tavern keep welcomed him with a big smile and did not seem to recognize him as the earlier laborer.

Making the pretense of being interested in his food he made inquiries of the tapmaster, as was usual for someone in his supposed line of work.

"Anyone be needing services?" he said gruffly.

"Tis been some time since you've been asking." the tap master said showing neither surprise or much curiosity at Alberich's supposed long absence or question.

"Been working caravan guard up to Rethwellen."

"Been some other furiners asking for toughs, but nothing else. Doubt you be interested."

"Gotta eat. Caravan master was a cheap bastard."

"So be it. I'll be telling 'em. Where are you?"

"Here. Tomorrow night" he said curtly and paid for his meal with a few copper bits and laid down a half silver for the tapmaster's help. The man nodded at Alberich and resumed his tasks as the sell sword left without a backward glance.

Once he was outside he mindspoke Kantor.

::Too easy that was.::

::Do you think the tavernmaster or the foreigners might recognize you?:: mindspoke Kantor almost anxiously.

::No:: Alberich said after a moment as he walked toward a slightly better taven. ::No, but something feels wrong::

::Foresight?:: asked the Companion worriedly.

::No,:: his gift usually manifested more dramatically, in his experience. :: Because not enough information there is and too many opportunities to find it before us.::

::You need help:: stated Kantor bluntly. "You know you need Myste's help, and it is making you anxious::

::Trust her I do with my life:: he argued.

::I know chosen:: Kantor said gently ::I just don't think you trust her with her own:: he finished cryptically.

Myste stood combing Alerian down in the dimly lit stable redolent with the smell of worn leather, both fresh and old hay and oats. Hearing someone clear his throat behind her she paused just for a moment before deciding to continue her task with somewhat more dogged concentration, rather than turning around. There was only one person that Alerian would allow to approach her without warning, and she had given herself a firm lecture as Alerian had brought her through the palace gates in past the houses of the minor nobility and into the prosperous looking merchant quarter. She was a herald, and though she didn't see much field action she knew where her duty lay. This was important work, that Alberich had not asked her to do lightly. She would not be distracted by the small voice of doubt in her mind as to where her relationship with the arms-master lay. As of now, he was the spy master and she was a pawn in his arsenal, she would have to make sure she counted for something.

"Myste" The gravelly voice was hushed but broke the stillness of the stable with an almost physical impact. She continued to brush Alerian's coat, only pausing to incline her head slightly to acknowledge that she had heard him. It would be better to be engaged in a task in case someone came upon them in the stable.

:: Which is all well and good, beloved. But perhaps you could widen your range of brushing.: came the wryly pained mindvoice of her Companion. : It would be unsightly for a Companion to be seen having a bare spot. People may start to think I've developed mange. :

She ducked her head slightly and thought how it was fortunate the lighting was dim and she was faced away from Alberich. :Sorry Rian: she thought back, her mindvoice contrite.

"Contact do you still have among the tavernmasters?"

"Even better, I know their suppliers. I still know Master Jodin whose warehouse stores most of the ales and spirits that even half reputable taverns stock." she replied.

"Trustworthy is he?"

"Honest enough, but like most merchants has a keen nose for profit, so wouldn't expect any free help." suddenly growing suspicious she turned to face him.

"Why are you asking if he is trustworthy? How much are you planning to tell him?

" No reason I see to pull you from your duties when little it is that I have to follow."

"You are NOT sending me back!" she hissed furiously, her hands suddenly on her hips. "I may not be a field herald, but you NEED me for this." the flickering lanternlight of the stable reflected of her spectacles and he could make out the flush of anger on her cheeks.

"Barely have I begun to get closer to the players of this game. Too early, I fear, have I called the alarm." he said hastily.

She seemed to calm down somewhat, and seemed to think for a moment.

"How are you getting close to them?"

"At the taverns I saw them talking. Tavernmaster seems to think looking for hire swords they be.

"Which tavern?" She inquired

"Crow's Perch" he said, wondering where she was going with this.

"I know the supplier for them. The taverns in these new parts aren't very savvy, the tavernmasters don't seem to keep much of their own records, they pay a public bookkeeper to do it for them. I can go around and find out who that is."

"Myste" he began again, trying not to let his frustration show, "too hasty was I in taking you from your place."

"My place?" she whirled to face him completely now, suddenly not so mindful of who might come upon them. "You mean to say among dusty shelves. I know who I am Herald Alberich. I may not be a field herald, but even I am canny enough to know that this is not something you can do on your own."

There was a moment of silence as she met his gaze and held it, her eyes glinting behind her spectacles.

He studied her as she stood their almost vibrating with indignation, her frame so much slighter than she would have give it credit for. A frame that fit surprising well with his, and had created an unexpected haven of tranquility in his soul nearly equal to that of this bond with Kantor. He sighed knowing she was right.


End file.
